PORTLAND – Police said tragedy was averted Friday when the gun of a man enraged over not getting his bottle-deposit money malfunctioned at a local supermarket.

Mark Allen Davis, 40, of Portland pulled out a .25-caliber semiautomatic at the Forest Avenue Shop ‘n Save and tried to fire during an incident in the afternoon, police said.

Company spokeswoman Caren Epstein said the store was being closed because of a power failure and Davis was upset because he could not collect his bottle-deposit money.

Davis began arguing with a clerk, and became enraged when a manager asked him to leave the store. Davis then pulled out the gun and pointed it at the manager, according to Police Chief Michael Chitwood.

Davis then pointed the gun at another manager who was trying to call 911 and pulled the trigger, but the weapon jammed, Chitwood said.