Police Chief David Splain today announced criminal charges against Curtis Harold Holmes, 52, of the 600 block of Vernon Street in the South Media section of Nether Providence Township.
Holmes is charged with false alarm to agencies of public safety and terroristic threats, both first-degree misdemeanor offenses and false reports to law enforcement, a third-degree misdemeanor offense.
Charges are the result of an investigation by Detective Michael Erickson that determined Holmes “made false and misleading threats, created a hazard to residents in the community, causing public fear and inconvenience.”
Township police, assisted by members of the Central Delaware County Tactical Response Team, were dispatched to the Vernon Street residence for a psychiatric emergency at 1:35 p.m. on Dec. 16. Barricaded alone inside the house, Holmes had threatened to shoot children with a shotgun.
Holmes surrendered and was taken into custody without incident at 3:05 p.m. He was immediately transported to Crozer-Chester Medical Center for a mental health evaluation. Upon his release Saturday from Crozer, he was transported to the Delaware County prison on a detainer for a prior probation violation.
As part of his investigation, Erickson requested all phone calls, radio communications, and 911 records pertaining to the Dec. 16 incident.
Holmes himself called 911, stating, “I’m hearing Jeffrey Dahmer’s voice again,” referring to the deceased Milwaukee, Wisconsin, serial killer.
‘I’ve been hearing voices all my life, 52-53 years. This is the final call. I’m tired of the devil,” Holmes told the dispatcher. “I’m about to go outside, smoke a cigarette, and kill the kids.”
Holmes falsely indicated he was armed with a shotgun. He also falsely indicated that two cousins were with him, one armed with a sword and the other with an Uzi.
Following Holmes’ surrender, CDTRT members checked the residence for safety protocol. No additional occupants were found.
Erickson, assisted by township Sergeant Robert Elmore and Officers James Irey and Michael Worrell, checked the interior of the house for weapons and firearms; none were recovered.
Holmes’ sister also indicated there were no firearms inside the residence and her brother had no access to firearms.
Last week, Chief Splain commended the team effort in handling a tense situation in a professional manner that brought the incident to a peaceful conclusion.
“Charges filed today against Mr. Holmes are indicative of our police department’s commitment and responsibility to the safety of the resident of our community,” Chief Splain said today.
