Man who discharged firearm at Mankato apartment complex charged

(Mankato, MN) – A man who told police he’d accidentally fired his weapon while trying to rack a round in the chamber has been charged in Blue Earth County Court.

Twenty-one-year-old Nicholas James Cencer of Mankato, is facing a misdemeanor charged of “Dangerous Weapons and Articles – Discharge of Firearms and Explosives.

According to the complaint, police were called to an apartment complex on James Avenue at 1:59 a.m. on January 7th. The complainant reported that he’d “accidentally discharged” his firearm. An officer located and inspected the firearm, and found a live round was still inside the weapon, but not inside the chamber, according to the complaint.

Cencer told police he’d been preparing to go to bed when he took the firearm from its holster, planning to rack a round when he lost his grip as he pulled back on the slide. The gun fired as the slide went forward and shot towards the patio window, Cencer told police. A spent ammunition casing was found between the couch and the table.

Cencer admitted to consuming alcohol. A portable breath test put his blood alcohol at .05.

Click here to LIKE Southern Minnesota News on Facebook.

Click here to FOLLOW @SouthernM Nnews on Twitter.