Plainview man arrested after brief standoff Saturday

(ABC 6 News) – A tense situation over the weekend ended in an arrest of a Plainview man.

63-year-old James Wingert is charged with two counts of threats of violence and a 2nd-degree assault charge.

On Saturday, at 4 a.m. Plainview Police along with the Wabasha County Sheriff’s Office were called to a complaint of domestic violence in the 300 block of 1st Ave. SW.

According to court documents, a six-year-old child reported that his father had killed his mother. In the call an adult voice was heard telling the child not to call 911. The line was then disconnected.

The woman would told law enforcement that Wingert had retrieved a rifle and threatened to shoot himself. She said she struggled with him to try and get the gun away but was unsuccessful. He pointed the gun at her.

Officers and deputies worked to diffuse the situation. They told Wingert several times to put the gun down. He refused. A standoff ensued that lasted approximately thirty minutes.

During that time period he yelled at law enforcement that they should kill him. At one point a Wabasha County Deputy observed Wingert place the muzzle to his head and pull the trigger. He then appeared confused and located at the gun. He was observed discharging a round. Wingert then pointed the rifle at the Deputy and pulled the trigger. Again the gun did not fire.

Wingert was eventually convinced to put the gun down and was ultimately arrested and taken to the Wabasha County Jail.

Law enforcement located the ejected round and three rounds in the firearm, including one in the chamber. The ejected round and the round found in the chamber both appeared to have dented primers, indicating that Wingert likely pulled the trigger but the rounds simply failed to fire.

The department said there was no danger to the public during or prior to this incident.