Woman says man who prompted SWAT situation was angry about being awakened

PITTSBURGH — The woman who called 911 after a man threatened to shoot her with what appeared to be a machine gun and prompted a SWAT standoff said her friend got angry because she woke him up.

“I’ve been knowing him my whole life. It should have never escalated to this. Never,” Erica Gallmore said.

Police said around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning Gallmore knocked on Neil Harris’ door in Pittsburgh’s Uptown area to find someone she said assaulted a family member the night before.

Instead of finding the person she was looking for, she talked to Harris, who she said became enraged.

“The more I apologized, the more madder he got,” Gallmore said. “He goes in the apartment and comes out waving a gun.”

Gallmore said Harris then ran to the roof of the De Ruad Street apartment building.

“When I look up he’s on the roof. At this point, still making verbal threats while I’m on the phone with police,” said Gallmore.

A SWAT team stormed the building and shut down several nearby streets during the ordeal. Harris was able to escape and police continue to search for him.

“He got robbed a week ago. He has something to prove on De Ruad Street… that’s he’s tough. No one will mess with him no more,” Gallmore said.

Officials said Tuesday evening that officers secured an arrest warrant for Harris, who will face several charges including terroristic threats and simple assault. Authorities said he's considered armed and dangerous.

Harris is approximately 6 feet tall and weighs about 180 pounds, police said. If anyone has information on his whereabouts, they are asked to notify the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Zone 4 Station at 412-422-6520 or call 911.

WPXI