lights and siren

A Sierra Vista man was arrested Sunday night after breaking into a man's apartment and assaulting him with a chain and pruning shears.

Raymond Christopher, 61, is facing kidnapping, first-degree burglary and aggravated assault, according to a Sierra Vista Police Department news release.

Officers responded to an apartment complex in the 4600 block of Charleston Road at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday to reports of a man breaking windows of apartments.

Police learned through 911 callers that the man, later identified as Christopher, left the complex and was walking to a nearby apartment complex in the 4500 block of Campus Drive. When officers arrived, they heard windows breaking on the ground floor of the complex, authorities said.

Officers then saw Christopher had broken into a two-story apartment and was holding a man hostage at the bedroom window. The police department's tactical team was called to the scene.

Christopher threatened to throw the victim from the window. Police, who believed Christopher was armed, began talking to him and during this time the victim escaped to safety, said authorities.

During the attack with the chain and pruning shears, the victim suffered injuries to his face, eyes and head.

Police ordered Christopher out of the apartment, and he eventually complied and was taken into custody. Investigators said there is no evidence that the victim knew Christopher, or that Christopher was targeting the victim.

Investigators said that Christopher told police that he felt threatened by unknown people who he thought wanted to kill him.

Earlier Sunday, police came in contact with Christopher twice. At about 2 p.m., a 911-caller in the 700 block of Shallow Brook Loop reported Christopher was yelling that men with weapons were trying to kill him, police said.

Officers investigated and did not find evidence that anyone was pursuing Christopher. A crisis team responded to help Christopher.

Then shortly after 6 p.m., officers encountered Christopher with his bicycle near the police station. Christopher told officers again that men were trying to kill him, and Christopher was taken to Canyon Vista Medical Center for an evaluation. Christopher left the hospital, and later was arrested after he attacked the man, police said.    

  


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Contact reporter Carmen Duarte at cduarte@tucson.com or 573-4104. On Twitter: @cduartestar