A pair face charges after threatening neighbors at a Griffith apartment complex and triggering a brief police standoff on Saturday.
Mercede Geter, 29, of Chicago, and Autumn Poole-Schopp, 27, of Griffith, were charged Monday each with several felonies including intimidation, court records show.
Griffith Police responded at 10:55 p.m. Oct. 19 to apartments on the 1100 block of E. 35th Avenue for a 911 call.
A half-dozen people said they were hanging out outside when Geter started taunting and threatening them from an upstairs apartment. He walked up to the group and shoved one woman. Her boyfriend and a friend stepped in to shield her, the affidavit states.
“Everyone is going to die,” Geter said, according to the woman.
Geter said he’d get a gun and “kill everyone,” according to the affidavit.
Poole-Schopp came downstairs waving then cocking a pistol. She threatened to shoot the group if they didn’t leave, records show. Both Geter and Poole-Schopp blocked them when they tried to go back inside.
When the pair didn’t come out of the apartment, officers put up a perimeter and put the Northwest Indiana Regional SWAT team on standby. Highland and Schererville Police showed up to assist.
The affidavit states officers overheard Geter say he’d “go out in a blaze of glory.”
“This is the last time I’m talking to you,” he said inside.
Geter opened a window and shouted Poole-Schopp would come out with a child.
“If you hurt her, we’re gonna have a shootout,” he said. “If she gets hurt, I’m gonna (shoot) every one of you.”
They again told him to exit.
“No, I’m not going to do that,” Geter responded.
He walked out five minutes later, displaying middle fingers to police. After ignoring officers’ orders, they physically restrained and arrested him.
Someone then dropped a loaded Glock handgun out of the apartment window.
Poole-Schopp walked out carrying her four-year-old daughter. After a relative picked up the child, she was taken to jail.
Geter is charged with 17 felonies — including 16 counts of intimidation and one count of neglect of a dependent. He is also facing two misdemeanor counts of resisting law enforcement.
He is in custody, held on a $120,000, or $12,000 cash surety bond. A court hearing was scheduled Wednesday.
Poole-Schopp is charged with 13 felonies, including 12 counts of intimidation and one neglect charge. She is also facing one misdemeanor count of resisting law enforcement.
She is being held without bail until Nov. 6, when it is set at $7,500 cash surety. Her next court date is Oct. 31.
