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Mohnton native, Joewel Keita, who is now being housed in Berks County Prison, was charged Thursday with four counts of aggravated assault in the stabbing, according to court documents obtained by LehighValleyLive.
Keita reportedly had a homemade knife but Lehigh County Jail staff members failed to find it in a search of his cell while Keita was on a recreation break the same day, the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office told the news outlet.
One of the officers saw Keita throw a shank in the toilet and try to flush it, but the water was still turned off from the previous search, authorities told the news outlet.
When officers later saw Keita holding a shank, despite being told to give it up, Keita said, “I’m going to stab everyone,” the outlet says citing court documents.
In response, officers sprayed pepper spray at Keita, which resulted in him throwing the shank out of the cell, according to court papers obtained by the outlet.
When officers told Keita to put his hands behind his back and walk backward to the front of the cell, he turned around and began striking the officers with his hands, the outlet reports citing court papers.
Officers then noticed Keita was holding a shank as he punched them, authorities told the outlet.
The officers were able to fight back and subdue Keita but not without injuries, the outlet says citing court papers.
One of the officers was treated at St. Luke’s Hospital for a 14-inch laceration and bruising, while the other was treated for a laceration on his lower right forearm, according to court documents obtained by the outlet.
Keita was arraigned Thursday before District Judge Karen C. Devine on the Allentown charges, the outlet reports.
He is being held without bail on homicide charges in relation to the Aug. 18 shooting death of Miguel Pena-Pena and his bail in the Lehigh County case is 10% of $50,000, according to WFMZ and LehighValleyLive.
Click here for the full story by LehighValleyLive.
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