A violent encounter took place at the Wyndham Grand Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh where a man is now in custody following an attack involving a sword. At the center of this disturbing episode is Jake O'Leary, 26, of Greenville, South Carolina, who police say was responsible for the assault that left at least one person with significant injuries, as reported by CBS News Pittsburgh.
The incident happened shortly after 1 a.m. on the Fourth of July when police were summoned to the hotel after reports of a man bleeding and screaming for help in the hallway. Upon their arrival, officers found the victim in the lobby and traces of blood on the fifth floor, near the room where the attack sparked.
According to the victims, O'Leary who had invited them to Pittsburgh for the Anthrocon Convention, attacked them unexpectedly while they stayed in his hotel room. "Allah does not approve," O'Leary allegedly yelled before brandishing the sword and swinging it at his companions, as mentioned in the police report and later recounted by the victims to the authorities, as detailed by CBS News Pittsburgh.
One victim mentioned to police that O'Leary's attack resulted in a severe laceration on his hand, specifically "a severe cut that split his right pinky finger to his ring finger which was over an inch and he also suffered tissue damage down to the bone." The victim, managing to get himself to the hospital, required immediate medical attention, according to CBS News Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, the assailant also incurred an injury to his face during the violence and received a subsequent medical evaluation before his detention, as per WTAE.
O'Leary was arrested and is currently facing charges of aggravated assault for the events that unfolded in that hotel room. A preliminary hearing is set for July 15, where the full extent of the case against him will further come to light.
