Witness Disputes Allegation That Priest Pointed Gun At Child, Report Says

A witness is disputing an allegation that a Catholic priest pointed a gun at an 8-year-old parishioner.

Richard Fritzky said that he “neither saw” the Rev. Kevin Carter, pastor of St. Margaret of Cortona Church in Little Ferry, “raise the rifle nor threaten anyone,” The Record reported.

Fritzky said he was at St. Margaret’s Sept. 13 to speak during the Masses and that Carter had taken out the unloaded Civil War-era rifle, which authorities said was loaded, to show him in the rectory; Carter, a New York Giants fan, was allegedly taking the rifle upstairs when he pointed it at the child, who was wearing a Dallas Cowboys shirt.

Fritzky said in the report that Carter allegedly “loudly and good-naturedly teased the boy who had apparently come to do the same to Father Kevin,” the report states.

Fritzky indicated that he had not been interviewed by authorities, the report states. Molinelli said in a press release Friday that people witnessed Carter point the gun at the boy.

Releated: Bergen County Priest Pointed Gun At 8-Year-Old: Prosecutor

Carter was arrested Friday on charges of aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli announced.

Carter is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon, The Record reported.

(Pictured: Father Kevin Carter/Courtesy of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office)