Egg decorating turns to fight, charges in Brookline, police say

PITTSBURGH — An Easter egg decorating party that went very wrong led a Brookline man to pelt his girlfriend with hardboiled eggs before attempting to stab Pittsburgh police officers with a sword, authorities say.

Aaron Goempel, 27, was awaiting arraignment in the Allegheny County Jail following his arrest on aggravated assault charges stemming from the domestic disturbance shortly after midnight on Easter Sunday.

Police said they responded to reports of a fight inside a Wareman Avenue apartment and found a woman whose right eye was red and swollen. She told three officers that after accusing Goempel of cheating on her, he became agitated and began hurling eggs at her. He barricaded himself in the bedroom with an exercise machine against the door, police said.

Once officers got through the door, Goempel reached for a row of knives and swords atop his dresser. Police got him under control and took him to a cruiser, where they said he started yelling racist obscenities at one of the officers and then kicked another in the groin.

According to court records, Goempel's rap sheet includes guilty verdicts for disorderly conduct and public drunkenness dating back to 2008. He awaits trial on charges of harassment, prowling, assault and traffic violations.

This article was written by Channel 11's news exchange partners at TribLIVE.

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