Moorhead police: Man points out his Trump bumper sticker vs. teen driver's for Warren, flashes loaded gun

A man is in jail Tuesday and accused of flashing a loaded handgun at another driver in Moorhead, Minn., after pointing out his Donald Trump bumper sticker vs. hers for presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren.

The 18-year-old Moorhead woman told law enforcement that the encounter began shortly after noon Monday on S. 8th Street near Concordia College, where the man pulled up next to her, rolled down his window and loudly expressed "his dislike for the political bumper sticker" on her car, a statement from police read.

The 27-year-old suspect from West Fargo, a student at Minnesota State University, Moorhead, pointed toward his bumper sticker in support of the Republican president and kept voicing "his difference in national political views," the statement continued.

The cars were traveling south on 8th Street during the verbal confrontation, passing each other at times, said Police Capt. Deric Swenson.

"The victim initially thought it wasn't going to be serious," Swenson said. "Then things escalated seriously."

After the motorists continued on the busy street for several blocks, the man got in front of her car and held up a handgun, police said.

Officers found the suspect "eating at a business" nearby in the Brookdale Shopping Center, the captain said. They saw a box for a handgun in the vehicle and found a loaded handgun in the center console.

One of two passengers with the man "confirmed the actions of the suspect" that were reported by the motorist backing the Democratic senator from Massachusetts, the police statement read.

The man was booked into the Clay County jail less than 90 minutes later on suspicion of felony terroristic threats and carrying a weapon without a permit. He has yet to be charged. The Star Tribune generally does not identify suspects before they are charged.