Police: Man threatens three with sword
Aug. 18—SOMERSET — A Somerset man jailed on $100,000 bond, will appear before District Judge Kenneth Johnson, accused of holding three people hostage and threatening them with a sword, authorities said.
Elias James Harr, 42, of the 100 block of East Patriot Street, will have a public defender to represent him at his court hearing Tuesday, an online court record shows.
Somerset Borough police were called to Harr's apartment on Aug. 11 for a reported hostage situation. When police arrived they were greeted by a man shouting obscenities from inside.
According to a criminal complaint, an officer kicked the door in and went upstairs, but found a second locked door. A second officer removed the door pins to get inside, where Harr was taken into custody.
Police said they found three people who had barricaded themselves inside a rear bedroom after Harr allegedly threatened them with a sword, saying he would kill everyone who tried to leave the building, the complaint said.
Borough police charged Harr with aggravated assault, terroristic threats and reckless endangerment.
Harr is being held in the Somerset County Jail.
