CHICAGO (CBS) – A Pilsen man was behind bars Tuesday night, accused of threatening a former co-worker in west suburban Oak Park.

CBS 2’s Brad Edwards reports Nicholas Claxton, 23, is charged with cyber-stalking and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

Cook County prosecutors say he was angry over being fired last month from his job at a popular Oak Park eatery, and sent a series of text messages to a former supervisor over the next five days after he was fired.

Among the messages he sent was a photo of Claxton in a ballistics vest, holding a shotgun, wearing night-vision goggles.

Chicago police say Nicholas Claxton sent this threatening photograph to a former co-worker. (Chicago Police)

“It was that image when we realized the gravity of the situation,” said the owner of the restaurant, asking to remain anonymous. “We just felt it was very important for us to act quickly and with a sense of urgency based on the image we saw.”

The owner immediately filed a report with Oak Park Police, who in turn contacted Chicago Police who in turn arrested Claxton at his home in the 1700 block of West 17th Street. Police found a sawed-off shotgun and a sling to make it concealable in his apartment.

Claxton has been convicted once before on a weapons charge. His landlord also has an order of protection against him.

In the wake of the deadly shooting sprees in Colorado and Wisconsin this summer, the restaurant owner wasn’t sure what precisely was averted, but was glad Claxton was arrested without having hurt anyone.

“We are very fortunate that this situation turned out the way it should have and everyone is safe,” said the owner.

Claxton was being held on $250,000 bond.