Pittsburgh man charged for allegedly assaulting priest at South Side monastery

PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh man is facing charges for allegedly assaulting a priest at a South Side monastery over the weekend.

Police were called to St. Paul of the Cross Monastery at around 11 a.m. Saturday for a report of a suspicious person making threats inside the church.

Officers said that as they were pulling up, a shirtless man, later identified as Timothy Tomasic, 46, walked out with a priest and threw him to the ground, according to the complaint. Police said Tomasic stood over the priest and it looked as if he were going to start punching him, so an officer pulled out his Taser and yelled for Tomasic to get on the ground.

Tomasic was taken into custody. Police said he appeared to be under the influence of drugs.

The priest refused medical treatment, according to the complaint.

Tomasic is charged with aggravated assault and simple assault. He was arraigned and placed in the Allegheny County Jail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for later this month.

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