Bend Man Arrested After Allegedly Threatening Teens With Gun in Parking Garage Dispute

BEND, Ore. — A 67-year-old Bend man was arrested Wednesday afternoon after allegedly threatening a group of teenagers with a firearm during a dispute over speeding inside a downtown parking garage.

According to the Bend Police Department, officers responded at approximately 4:16 p.m. Nov. 4 to a reported weapons violation at the Centennial Parking Garage, located at 61 NW Oregon Avenue.

Witnesses told officers that a group of teenagers was driving a large diesel truck aggressively through the parking garage. The suspect, identified as 67-year-old William Carl Hardt of Bend, reportedly yelled at the teens for speeding.

An argument followed, during which the teenagers reported that Hardt removed a firearm from a bag and threatened them with it.

Officers arrested Hardt on suspicion of menacing. The firearm was located and seized during a consent search of his vehicle.

Police maintained a large presence at the parking garage for approximately an hour while investigating the incident.

The case is being investigated under Bend Police case number 2026-00061720.