A 45-year-old man threatened to shoot an 11-year-old after losing the Xbox game: police

Michael Aliperti was arrested Tuesday for allegedly threatening to shoot a boy who had beaten him in an Xbox video game.

(Suffolk County Police)

A 45-year-old Long Island man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly threatening to shoot an 11-year-old boy after losing him in an online video game, FOX 5 of New York reported.

Michael Aliperti sent threatening messages and voice messages online to the Kings Park boy on Monday night after losing to an Xbox game called Fortnite, the police said. Aliperti reportedly threatened to shoot the boy at school, FOX 5 reported.

Aliperti was arrested on Tuesday around 13:40 in his home in Huntington. Police Department Chief Stuart Cameron said the authorities had found a plastic pellet gun in the house.

Aliperti was charged with aggravated second degree harassment and acted to injure a child, according to the Suffolk County Police Department. Cameron said that there was an increased police presence at the boy's school.

"We took this as a school threat. This has been done by an abundance of caution, "said Cameron.

Aliperti was arrested on Tuesday at the Central Islip Court of First Instance. He pleaded not guilty, according to the Suffolk County Attorney's Office.

Aliperti's lawyer said he was asking for transcripts of alleged threats, Newsday reported.

"Salty language is a two-way street and its behavior is normal in the community of players," said his lawyer. He added that Aliperti is going through a "bitter divorce".

Suffolk County Supreme Court Judge Andrew Crecca set Aliperti's bail at $ 10,000 and issued a protection order for the boy, Newsday reported.

Aliperti must be back in court on October 4th.

Huntington and Kings Park are both located in Suffolk County, on the north shore of Long Island.