Assault Rifle, Handguns Found After Man Argues Parking Ticket On Clearwater Beach

Son T. Uong was so enraged over a parking ticket he threatened to kill someone, according to Clearwater Police.

Upset with a parking ticket on Clearwater Beach, Uong tried to beat up a parking enforcement officer and was found with a loaded, high-powered rifle in the trunk of his car, a loaded handgun in the glove box and one in his pants pocket Saturday afternoon, according to police.

Uong saw Norton McGiffin IV, a parking enforcement officer, driving through lot 32, 332 S. Gulfview Blvd, and got into his car to use it to block McGiffin's path at 3:41 p.m., according to investigators.

Uong, 37, got out of his car and ordered McGiffin, 52, out of his. Then Uong opened the truck door of the marked city vehicle and tried to physically remove McGiffin. McGiffin called for help using the police radio in his vehicle, according to investigators.

When the first officer arrived on scene, he says he heard Uong say: "Someone is going to die today.” 

The officer was able to separate the two and managed to calm Uong down until other officers arrived. Uong resisted physically but was quickly restrained and arrested, according to investigators. McGiffin suffered a minor injury.

Officers found a fully-loaded Glock 27, 40 caliber handgun in Uong’s pants pocket. Inside the trunk of his Lexus was a fully loaded Sig Sauer 556 assult rifle with eight high capacity magazines and a night vision capable sight, according to police. There was another loaded Sig Sauer P238 380 caliber handgun with three magazines placed in the glove box in such a way that it was concealed but readily accessible, police said.

There were also numerous loaded magazines and ammunition including 188 rounds of .556/.223 rifle ammunition, 142 rounds of .40 pistol ammunition and 18 rounds of .380 pistol ammunition.

Uong was arrested and charged with armed burglary, battery of a law enforcement officer, carrying a concealed firearm, felon in possession of a firearm/ammunition and resisting arrest without violence, according to police.

Police seized Uong’s white 2001 Lexus, the weapons and ammunition.

Uong is in jail on $80,150 bond, according to Pinellas County Sheriff's Office records.