A 23-year-old Westport man was arrested early Sunday morning after allegedly brandishing a pistol and threatening another man inside of a Bristol residence. Bristol Police were alerted to the incident after Warren Police stopped a motorist in their town shortly after midnight on Sunday, April 3, and had him back at the station for questioning.

During that interview, the man told Warren Police that he had been in Bristol earlier that night with Shawn Zen, 23, of Westport, as well as two women. The victim told police they were hanging out and drinking alcohol when Mr. Zen got agitated, pulled out a black handgun and threatened him with it.

Bristol police officers questioned the two women who were there at the time, and a short time later a patrolman saw Mr. Zen walking on Congregational Street toward Wood Street at about 3 a.m. Mr. Zen was taken into custody after officers found a loaded Heckler and Koch 9mm handgun in his sweatshirt pocket.

According to Patrolman Joshua Monson’s report of the arrest, Mr. Zen complied with officers. They detected an odor of alcoholic beverage on his breath. The gun was loaded with 10 rounds, including one in the chamber.

Officers also searched his parked vehicle on Wood Street and found a black BB gun with a silencer. Both guns were seized and taken back to the station.

Police discovered Mr. Zen has an active license to carry that gun, which is registered to him, in Massachusetts, but not in Rhode Island. He was arraigned at the station and charged with felony assault, carrying a weapon without a permit, and carrying a weapon while under the influence. He was released from the station about 7:40 a.m.