Monessen man charged after brandishing loaded rifle, making threats in public
Charges were filed against a Monessen man who allegedly brandished a loaded rifle in a populated area following an argument.
Joseph T. Selinger, 49, was charged after Monessen Police responded to the area of Knox Avenue for a man holding a gun and making threats around 6:09 p.m. Thursday.
Police arrived to find Selinger kneeling down in the grass in a nearby vacant lot with a Stevens Model 880 .22 caliber bolt-action rifle in his hands and his finger on the trigger.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, throughout the entire incident, Selinger shouted “kill me” and “I want you to kill me”.
Other officers arrived on the scene as police yelled for Selinger to put the gun down and not raise it. He reportedly told authorities he would not put the gun down until police shot him.
Another officer approached Selinger from the side and tackled him, knocking the rifle from his hands, according to court paperwork.
Once Selinger was in custody, police said they interviewed Pam Carlson. She reportedly told police Selinger argued with her over water leaking into his garage, claiming it was her fault. She told police Selinger threatened to shoot her and retrieved a rifle from his garage.
Police noted in court papers that the threats were made in a densely populated residential area.
Selinger was charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest, possessing instruments of a crime, disorderly conduct and harassment before on-call Westmoreland County Magisterial District Judge Denise Thiel.
Selinger is lodged in the Westmoreland County Prison with bail set at $75,000.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled in Magisterial District Court 10-1-03 at 10 a.m. Feb. 22.