FIRST ON 3: CB zoning commish speaks from jail about arrest

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A Carolina Beach planning and zoning commissioner speaks out from jail after an arrest Tuesday. Richard Knott is charged with assault on a female, assault with a deadly weapon on a government official and communicating threats.

Knott says his arrest is about a misunderstanding.

“It stemmed from an argument between my wife and I,” Knott said. “There was a large misunderstanding on the part of the police department.”

Court documents say Knott assaulted his wife by throwing a phone and hitting her in the eye. But then the arrest warrant says Knott assaulted a Carolina Beach police sergeant and officer responding to the dispute by pointing a semi-automatic handgun at them.

“They observed me with a gun and I guess made an assumption, but the fact is when I realized who it was I put the gun away and opened the door for them,” Knott said. “Totally unarmed.”

We asked him why he had a gun in the first place.

“Just dramatic effect, because of the argument,” Knott responded

The arrest warrant also shows Knott told his wife, “One of us could die tonight,” all while he was holding the firearm.

“No. I didn’t actually say that,” Knott said. “I said some things that were absolutely not threatening to her and they were actually applied to myself.”

His wife did not want to comment, but Knott says it was an argument that got out of hand leaving him only with regret.

“I wish I had never, I wish I had just gone outside and not even talked about whatever was done,” Knott said. “But I didn’t and as a result, this is a pretty terrible place right here.”