St. Charles police arrest man accused of pointing gun at Walmart customer

News media posts of a surveillance photo of a man accused of pointing a gun at a St. Charles Walmart customer Thursday night enabled a city employee to identify a suspect, who has been arrested and charged, St. Charles police said Saturday.

Police asked for the public's help Friday afternoon and shortly thereafter, the city employee reported he had seen a person matching the description making a payment at city hall around 8 a.m. Friday.

A review of security camera footage from the municipal center showed a person and vehicle that matched the description provided by the victim. Officers went to the suspect's residence just before 5 p.m. Friday and recovered a black pellet gun, according to a police news release.

Fredrick J. Murphy II, 61, of the 1400 block of East Main Street, St. Charles, was charged with aggravated assault and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors. Murphy posted bail and was released.

The woman had told police she was approached by a man with a black handgun outside the Walmart's entrance at 150 Smith Road. She ran back into the store, at which point the man got into a silver car parked in a handicapped stall nearby and drove away.

Police thanked the media for its help in publicizing the surveillance photo,