Roberts

A city man charged with felony child endangerment for allegedly firing a handgun at a children’s birthday party waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Blair County Central Court on Wednesday, sending all charges against him to the court of common pleas.

In addition to the child endangerment charge, Tristan Lee Roberts, 21, is facing two misdemeanor charges of endangering the welfare of children, misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats and simple assault, along with summary charges of harassment and criminal mischief. He remains free on unsecured $100,000 bail.

The charges were filed after Altoona police were dispatched to a home along the 600 block of Fifth Avenue about 9:07 p.m. on April 26 for a weapons call. Police found Roberts in the alleyway with a firearm in his waistband, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Roberts told officers he and his girlfriend got into an argument over misplaced car keys. The argument occurred with three young children in the home, as well as other adults. Police inside the home found a gunshot hole in the dining room table, a hole in the carpet where the bullet ricocheted and ended up in the living room wall. No one was injured, the report states.

During interviews with police, witnesses said Roberts and his girlfriend were drinking and began to argue. At one point, Roberts allegedly threatened those in the home and the children were taken outside for safety. As they were walking the children to the front of the home, a witness heard a “pop” and called 911.