Man in custody following sword attack in Pennsylvania hotel

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — A man is in custody after he allegedly attacked three other people with a sword inside the Wyndham Grand Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh in the early morning hours of July 4.

According to the criminal complaint provided to KDKA-TV, police were called to the hotel just after 1 a.m. for reports of a person bleeding and screaming in the hallway.

Once they arrived, they learned that the attack occurred in a room on the fifth floor. They observed blood on the floor and wall of the fifth floor near the room where the attack occurred.

They spoke with the victim who said that the suspect, Jake O’Leary of South Carolina, was in town with three other people for the Anthrocon 2024.

One of the victims told police that they, along with two others, were invited to come to town early and join O’Leary in his hotel room until their room was ready.

As they all went to bed, O’Leary, according to victims, yelled something to the effect of “Allah does not approve” and came back brandishing a sword. He began to swing the sword at the other occupants of the room, causing bodily harm.

One victim suffered a severe cut that split her right pinky finger to her ring finger, which was over an inch, and she also suffered tissue damage down to the bone. That victim was able to transport herself to the hospital.

O’Leary was transported to the hospital to be observed by a doctor and after he was cleared, he was taken to the Allegheny County Jail. He now faces a charge of aggravated assault.

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