Man in custody after stabbing attack at downtown Pittsburgh hotel

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A man is in custody after allegedly attacking 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, police were called to the hotel just after 1 a.m. for reports of a man bleeding and screaming in the hallway.

When they arrived on the scene, they were able to see that the attack had taken place in a room on the fifth floor. They found that blood was strewn on the floor and walls of the fifth floor, near the room where the attack took place.

They spoke with the victim who had come to the lobby and was able to talk to them. The victim said the suspect, Jake O’Leary of South Carolina, was in town with three other people for the Anthrocon convention next weekend.

One of the victims told police that she and two others were asked to come into 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 the victims, shouted something like “Allah does not approve” and returned brandishing a sword. He began swinging the sword at the other occupants of the room, causing bodily injuries.

One victim suffered a severe cut that split his right pinky finger to his ring finger, more than an inch, and also suffered tissue damage down to the bone. This victim was able to transport himself to hospital.

O’Leary was taken to the hospital for medical observation and after being released, he was taken into custody and transported to the Allegheny County Jail.

He is now charged with aggravated assault.