Man told police he had weapons for ‘zombie apocalypse’

Investigators found bayonets, body armor and thousands of rounds of ammunition in the home of a man charged with threatening to kill his girlfriend — and who then explained to police taking him into custody that the munitions were for a “zombie apocalypse,” Lincoln police Chief Richard Bosco said Wednesday.

Edward Thomas Jr., 36, a nurse’s aide, was charged with a count of terroristic threats in connection with an incident that led to a SWAT team response to his home in the 3800 block of McLean Drive in Lincoln.

Chief Bosco said the call out of the Allegheny County police SWAT team — and additional help from Pennsylvania State Police — was preceded about two weeks ago by the seizure of 22 guns from the home after his ex-wife sought a restraining order. The chief said Mr. Thomas reportedly threatened the woman and their two children.

While that order was only temporary and had lapsed, Mr. Thomas had not gotten back his guns. Chief Bosco said Mr. Thomas’ petition to get them back was under review when the latest situation unfolded at 12:51 a.m. Wednesday.

Mr. Thomas’ girlfriend, identified in a criminal complaint as Lacy Fagan, called 911 to report that her boyfriend was armed and threatening to kill her. The handgun turned out to be hers, police said.

Mr. Thomas had been drinking and became verbally abusive “over household utilities,” the complaint said. The chief said Mr. Thomas had

been outside and grew angry over the lights that were on in the house. He screamed about the lights and went to shut off the power, the chief said.

Ms. Fagan said she was going to call police. She told officers that he threatened to kill her if she did, the complaint said.

Ms. Fagan fled and called 911. Mr. Thomas fled, but police didn’t figure that out for hours. Ms. Fagan and Mr. Thomas’ mother and sister all thought he was barricaded in the house with a gun.

They tried to communicate, but when they couldn’t raise him, police moved in.

“The first thing that we walked into was an armory where there was over 3,000 to 5,000 rounds of ammunition, bayonets, body armor. That’s when I decided it was too high a risk for our officers,” Chief Bosco said.

SWAT was summoned along with armored vehicles and a robot. Police eventually went back in. Mr. Thomas was gone.

Mr. Thomas was found at his mother’s house in McKeesport. When asked about the ammunition, “He repeatedly said, ‘I’m prepared for the zombie apocalypse,’” according to the chief.

“He appeared to be genuine in his statement,” Chief Bosco said. “He doesn’t appear to be under any level of psychosis.”