2012 HomeWorld
Middletown High School Orchestra
Theatre Guild's "Wittenberg"
Home > Blogs > Dayton area crime > Archives > 2010 > March > 11 > Entry
Police officer charged with menacing after brandishing gun
DAYTON - A Dayton International Airport Police officer is facing a misdemeanor menacing charge after witnesses and victims said he brandished his city-issued handgun in front of kids to threaten a man while off duty.
City police responded to the 300 block of Maryland Avenue about 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 10, after receiving a call that Michael Lawson “pulled a gun out” and threatened someone, according to a police report.
Officers later learned Lawson, 30, had pulled out a gun in front of his girlfriend’s children after threatening their father with physical harm, according to a police report. Lawson was not arrested, but ordered in to talk with prosecutors Thursday, March 11.
A case was created in Dayton Municipal Court Thursday morning with a misdemeanor charge of menacing, according to court records. Lawson is scheduled for arraignment in municipal court on March 23.
Lawson has been placed on paid administrative leave and his weapon seized by his supervisor. He was not home early Thursday afternoon and was unavailable for comment.
After arriving at Maryland Avenue, officers found Lawson, 30, in his gray Jeep Cherokee on Deeds Avenue and he immediately jumped out of the vehicle and identified himself as an airport police officer, the report stated.
Lawson said he returned his city-issued Glock 22 back in house after having an argument with the father of his girlfriend’s children, police said. Lawson said he and Mark Shade have had numerous run-ins the last four months he has been dating his girlfriend.
Lawson said Shade has threatened him with physical harm numerous time and started yelling at him while waiting at an RTA bus stop Wednesday. But Shade contends Lawson pulled up in his Jeep and started cussing at him, the report stated.
Witnesses also reported Lawson approached Shade and made threatening comments, police said. Lawson then returned to his Jeep and retrieved a gun, police said.
Numerous witnesses said Shade’s children started screaming “He pulled a gun” before a resident in the area grabbed Lawson and broke up the altercation, the report stated.
This isn’t Lawson’s first brush with police. He was arrested on a domestic violence charge in May but the charges were later dismissed, according to court records.
The Dayton International Airport has 27 full-time police officers, many of which are members of the Dayton Public Service Union, city officials said.
Tweet
