Gun Pulled At GOP Meeting By Ex-Allegheny County Council Candidate: Affidavit
Eric Philip Casteel, a 62-year-old Cyber Security Architect also threatened three members of the Republican Committee— Mike Doyle, former US Congress nominee and current Plum council president, Paul Dern, current council vice president and Gerard "Jerry" Purcell, who is running for Plum council— at the Plum Community Center on Center New Texas Road on Thursday, April 27, 2023, around 8 p.m., according to the affidavit.
He erupted in anger during a vote and when he turned to leave it was noticed that "He has a gun," according to their statements to the police. When they saw the gun in Casteel's waistband as he walked out of the meeting court records show.
He told them, "I'll be back," but Doyle, Dern, and Purcell, who said they were attempting to deescalate the situation, followed Casteel outside and saw him pull the gun from his waistband as if he was going to shoot, so they walked away— but apparently, he waited for them as they approached their trucks and came at them from behind, pulling out the gun, pointing it at them, and saying, "I'll shoot you," as stated in the affidavit.
He left when the committee threatened to call the police, Plum Boro officers detailed in the court documents.
No one was injured and Casteel was arrested later that night at his home on Valley Fields Drive.
He was charged with three counts of each of the following offenses: terroristic threats, simple assault, and reckless endangerment, according to his court docket.
He was denied bail as he "poses a threat to the community," per Magisterial District Judge Craig C. Stephens.
His perliminary hearing has been set before Magisterial District Judge Linda Inez Zucco on May 10 at 9 a.m., court records show.
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