Pair Charged With Using Racial Slurs, Threatening With Gun: Groton PD

GROTON, CT — Two Groton residents are facing charges that they used racial slurs and threatened a woman and her 16-year-old son in a dispute early Friday morning, according to police.

Police went to a local hotel at 6:55 a.m. after receiving a report of a threatening incident involving a gun. The incident occurred between guests of adjoining rooms and started with an argument about noise levels.

Michael Burpee, 55, and Monica Schank, 36, began using expletives, racial slurs, and physical threats during the argument, according to police. Schank then retrieved a gun from her room and pointed it at the woman and her son.

Police later discovered the weapon was a BB gun.

Burpee and Schank were charged with second-degree breach of peace, second-degree intimidation based on bigotry or bias, and second-degree threatening. Schank was also charged with carrying a dangerous weapon.

Burpee was released on a $50,000 cash or surety bond. He is scheduled to appear in New London Superior Court on March 15.

Schank was held on a $100,000 cash or surety bond. She is scheduled to appear in New London Superior Court on Monday.

Anyone with information on the incident can contact Groton police at 860-441-6712.