Police: Man watching kids with telescope threatens to 'blow the whole damn neighborhood up'

PIERCE COUNTY -- Police arrested a man Wednesday who allegedly threatened to "blow up the whole damn" neighborhood after he was confronted by his neighbors for threatening children walking in front of his home.

According to the Tacoma Police Department, the 42-year-old man used a telescope to look down on children from his upstairs window Wednesday in the 2000 block of East 43rd Street. The man allegedly threatened the 12 and 14-year-old children of a neighbor as they walked by his yard on their way to school.

The neighbor confronted the suspect for yelling at his children, spotted the telescope and threatened to call police.

In response, the suspect allegedly told his neighbor he would, "blow the whole damn neighborhood up," according to police reports.

When police arrived to the neighborhood, at least one other resident told officers the suspect had threatened individuals before, and that his threats appeared real.

Police arrested the suspect, who was found to be holding an 8-inch knife in his pocket. He was booked into Pierce County Jail, but is out on $10,000 bail while Pierce County prosecutors review his case.