But it turned out the young adults had in fact been harassing the man and that he pulled a weapon from his vehicle for protection, police Lt. Dave Parker said.
The two parties split after the incident at about 1:45 p.m., but witnesses followed the man with the gun north on the Seward Highway to 13th Avenue and Gambell Street, where police with guns drawn stopped the man and a passenger.
Seeing that activity, the principal of the Fairview school locked the doors, school district spokeswoman Heidi Embley said. It was the only school to take any action and reopened a short time later, she said.
After questioning the suspect and other witnesses -- the youths could not be located -- police determined the unnamed man had acted within his rights because he had not pointed the weapon at anyone and had not brandished it in a menacing manner, Parker said.
The man, his passenger and weapon were free to go, he said.
Important warning about e-mails purporting to be from the adn.com staff.