A Hillsboro man was arrested Thursday after a he allegedly threatened to shoot his roommate, a coworker, in a dispute reported involving rent money.

At 4:11 p.m., officer John Huebert and sheriff’s deputy Derek Fetrow responded to a criminal threat complaint at 119 S. Main St. in an apartment above El Lorito Mexican Restaurant in Hillsboro, Hillsboro Police Chief Dan Kinning said.

According to Kinning, Ricardo Madrigal Batello, 49, Hillsboro, told officers that his roommate, Irineo Martinez, 36, Hillsboro, had confronted him over his portion of rent money when he went to the apartment to retrieve his belongings.

“The gist I got was that Batello was leaving the apartment and maybe hadn’t paid his share yet,” Kinning said. “At one point, Martinez pulled a gun from his back pocket, pointed it at Batello, and demanded Batello to give him the rent money or he would shoot him.”

Huebert and Fetrow entered El Lorito with weapons drawn, noting two employees and no customers, Kinning said. They continued to the back of the building where they reportedly encountered and apprehended Martinez, and secured his weapon outside on a staircase that led up to the apartment.

“There were bullets in the gun’s magazine,” Kinning said, “but no bullets in the chamber.”

Officers noted a third employee and a young child also were in the restaurant after the arrest occurred, he said.

Marintez and Batello were both employees at El Lorito, Kinning said.

Marion assistant chief Clinton Jeffrey, Sheriff Robert Craft, and sheriff’s deputy Wilma Mueller also responded and secured the block.

Martinez was booked into county jail on charges of aggravated assault with a firearm and criminal threat.