BAYONNE -- The head coach of the Bayonne High School ice hockey team was arrested earlier this month after police say he pointed a handgun in the direction of two people at Korpi Ice Rink last month.

David J. McKenna, 38, of Bayonne, was arrested Dec. 12 and charged with a number of weapons offenses that stem from the Nov. 30 incident in which he allegedly gained possession of an assistant coach's handgun and pointed it in the direction of two individuals, police said.

A message left for McKenna was not immediately returned.

McKenna, who is also a social studies teacher at Bayonne High School, was at the Richard Korpi Ice Rink for hockey practice just after school was released around 3 p.m. McKenna "gained possession" of the handgun from an off-duty New Jersey state trooper who volunteers as a coach for the team, Bayonne police Capt. Joseph Scerbo said in a media release announcing the arrest.

The state trooper had secured his weapon in the coaches' locker room of the ice rink, Scerbo added.

A spokesman for the state police told The Jersey Journal they are aware of the incident and an internal investigation has been opened, however they did not release the name of the trooper.

"At some point after the weapon was secured in the room, McKenna gained possession of the handgun and pointed it in the direction of two individuals," Scerbo said.

Police said that it is not believed McKenna "intended to use the weapon against the victims," however "the act of possessing the weapon under these circumstances and pointing the weapon were sufficient to bring these charges," police said.

The police did not comment on the identity of the state trooper, but confirmed no charges have been filed against him. They also declined to comment on the identity of the two individuals who police say McKenna pointed the weapon toward or say whether they are players on the team.

Bayonne's interim Superintendent of Schools Michael Wanko and Bayonne High School Principal Richard Baccarella both declined to comment on the McKenna's employment status, saying the district does not discuss personnel matters.

McKenna was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon on school grounds and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

He was released on a summons.

A 1997 graduate of Bayonne High School, McKenna was hired as the head coach of the school's hockey team in 2014. His 81 points in 1997 were tops in the state.

Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @coreymacc. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.