Court: Man held at gunpoint in Open Door Community House

It was an argument over a woman that led Bryon Cornelius Wallace to hold a man at gunpoint in the Open Door Community House at 2405 Second Ave., according to an officer’s testimony Thursday morning in Columbus Recorder’s Court.

The 31-year-old homeless man pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and theft by receiving stolen property in another state. He didn’t testify in court.

Columbus Police Officer David Webb said they were called around 9 a.m. Wednesday to the social services ministry, where they obtained surveillance video that placed Wallace at the scene of the incident that led to no injuries.

The footage, which doesn’t include audio, allegedly shows Wallace enter the facility and withdraw a small pistol from his right pocket, according to police.

“He points the pistol at (the victim) several times, even runs up to him with the pistol pointed at him,” Webb told the court. “He also appears that he continues to yell at him.”

The victim told police that he and Wallace had an argument the day prior about him speaking with a woman the defendant knows.

“He stated that Mr. Wallace pointed a gun at him and stated to him, ‘I’ll shoot you. Think I won’t. I’ll shoot you and that (expletive),’” Webb testified. “(The victim) stated that he was in fear of his life and did believe that Mr. Wallace would have shot him.”

Shortly afterward, 911 dispatch informed them Wallace was at the SafeHouse facility that operates out of the Rose Hill Methodist Church on Hamilton Road. Officials said they were taking Wallace into custody at the resource center when they spotted at pink and silver 9mm handgun in his right pocket, which they later discovered was reported stolen from a vehicle in Phenix City earlier that morning.

Wallace, who has a prior conviction for burglary, was denied bond on the single count of aggravated assault and granted bonds totaling $30,000 for the remaining charges. Judge Michael Cielinski bound the case over to Superior Court.

This story was originally published April 14, 2016 at 1:04 PM with the headline "Court: Man held at gunpoint in Open Door Community House."