2 Nights In Jail For Man Who Points 'AR Style' Gun At Officer

CARTERSVILLE, GA — A Bartow County man spent two nights in jail after pointing what authorities described as an “AR style rifle” at a police officer.

Blake McAlavy, 34, was arrested early Thursday morning after the incident, which authorities said happened at his Green Ives Lane home when police arrived to question him about a hit and run accident.

According to the incident report, when a Cartersville police officer knocked on the door and identified himself, McAlavy invited him to come in — but the door was locked.

The officer continued to knock and told McAlavy to come to the door. McAlavy responded that the officer would have to open the door himself. Then, according to the incident report, McAlavy told the officer “you are about to get a gun.” Hearing footsteps inside the house, the officer stepped away from the door and called for backup.

Moments later, McAlavy “swung the door open and pointed and (sic) AR style rifle at me, placing me in fear of great bodily harm and death,” the officer wrote in his report. Then, McAlavy stepped away from the door, out of the officer’s sight.

Eventually — after what the officer described as “loud verbal commands” — McAlavy stepped back into the doorway, his arms raised with the weapon still in his left hand, according to the report. The Cartersville officer ordered McAlavy to drop the weapon and lie down on the ground, and he complied. But after McAlavy was handcuffed, he cursed the officer and and tried to get back up.

Finally, a second officer arrived, and McAlavy was taken to the Bartow County Jail without further incident.

McAlavy was charged with hit and run for the earlier vehicle accident, as well as felony aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. He was released Friday on $30,000 cash bond.