It was a scary situation Tuesday night for tenants at a west end Belleville residence.
Police were called after being told a tenant in a basement apartment of the residence was seen loading a firearm.
Officers arrived and evacuated the upper level tenants and then spoke with the heavily intoxicated basement tenant who eventually left the residence peacefully.
A 72-year-old Belleville person was charged with unsafe handling and unsafe storage of a firearm and appears for a bail hearing Wednesday.
