Round Lake Park man charged with stalking, threatening ex-girlfriend

A Round Lake Park man has been arrested on charges of stalking and threatening to shoot his ex-girlfriend with an air-powered pellet gun, authorities said Monday.

The 18-year-old woman called police at 6:43 p.m. Saturday to report that Travis A. Johnston, 18, of the 400 block of East Elder Drive, was following her and a friend while carrying a handgun near East Willow and North Brierhill drives, authorities said.

When officers found Johnston, he pulled what appeared to be a semiautomatic handgun from his waistband and held it in the air, authorities said. Officers recognized the weapon was an Air Soft BB gun, and Johnston complied with police directives to lie on the ground and throw the weapon aside, police said.

During the investigation, the woman told officers that Johnston came to her house wearing a bandanna on his face and threatened to "shoot up the place," authorities said. Johnston also followed the woman and another person while they were walking in the area, then hid behind a tree on their property and pointed the gun at a window, authorities said.

Police said he later told officers he wanted to scare the two people and "show them he had a gun" because he was upset his ex-girlfriend had a new boyfriend.

Johnston is charged with two felony counts of stalking, and misdemeanor counts of aggravated assault and disorderly conduct.

He remains held in Lake County jail on $50,000 bail, authorities said.