A Tamaqua man has been charged with shooting another man in the knee with a flare gun.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by patrolman Michael Weaver of the Tamaqua Borough Police Department:

On Feb. 22, Weaver was dispatched to a home in the 100 block of Schuylkill Avenue for a report of an armed individual wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt attempting to gain access to the residence.

Upon arrival, Weaver encountered the individual, who was identified as William Ladlee, 39.

Ladlee was detained and searched for officer safety, at which time an orange flare gun was found in his back right pocket.

The flare gun was modified to hold and fire a .22-caliber round.

Once the flare gun was opened, there was a live .22 round inside the chamber.

Ladlee was cuffed and placed in the rear of Weaver’s patrol vehicle. Also located in Ladlee’s pocket were an additional 18 .22-caliber rounds.

Weaver made contact with the victim, who said that Ladlee came to his residence and showed him the modified flare gun through the screen door. The victim was able to see there was a live round inside.

Ladlee then pointed it at the victim several times “with a smile.”

Before running Ladlee’s criminal history, it was confirmed that he had two prior convictions of enumerated felony offenses.

Coaldale officer James Bonner read Ladlee his Miranda Rights and conducted an interview, at which time Ladlee told Bonner, “I was going to knee cap him.”

Bonner asked Ladlee what that meant, and Ladlee said to shoot him in the knee.

Ladlee faces charges of aggravated assault; person not to possess/use firearms; crime committed with firearm; firearms not to be carried without license; possessing instruments of crime; terroristic threats/crime of violence; and simple assault.

He is currently incarcerated in Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail, and is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing March 3 before District Judge Stephen J. Bayer of Tamaqua.