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NORRISTOWN — An Upper Merion Township man who claimed he was “having a bad day” when he swung a sword at another man in a lounge area of the apartment building in which they lived is now headed to prison.
Kenny Ray, 39, who resided in the Dekalb Apartments at 251 West Dekalb Pike, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 4 to 8 years in a state correctional facility on charges of aggravated and simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and possession of an instrument of crime in connection with a November 2021 incident in the apartment building.
The sentence was imposed by Judge Wendy G. Rothstein who convicted Ray of the charges during a non-jury trial in May.
Rothstein ordered that Ray receive mental health and drug and alcohol treatment while incarcerated. Ray also will undergo a psychiatric evaluation, the judge said.
With the felony aggravated assault charge, Assistant District Attorney Tanner C. Beck alleged Ray attempted to cause serious bodily injury to another person with the sword. Beck sought a lengthy prison term against Ray.
“He approached people who were seated at a coffee shop, carrying a samurai sword. He took a swipe at (the victim’s) neck. It came within inches of hitting him,” Beck alleged.
“Luckily, there were good Samaritans there, including two maintenance people, as well as a concierge, that tackled Mr. Ray and wrestled the sword away from him,” Beck added. “Fortunately, no one was harmed largely due in part to the good Samaritans. This could have been much worse than it was.”
Authorities were unable to determine a motive for the assault. Detectives said the victim had never encountered or spoken to Ray prior to the incident.
The investigation began about 1:21 p.m. Nov. 11, 2021, when Upper Merion police responded to the lobby of the East Building of Dekalb Apartments in the King of Prussia section of the township for a report of a man armed with a sword, “swinging at other residents,” according to the criminal complaint filed by Upper Merion Detective Andrew Rathfon.
Arriving officers reported Ray was “sweating profusely, kicking his legs and occasionally screaming something unintelligible,” Rathfon wrote in the arrest affidavit, adding officers immediately handcuffed Ray. A two-foot-long “samurai sword” was found on the ground beside Ray, Rathfon alleged.
The concierge of the apartment building told detectives she was sitting at the coffee counter when Ray exited an elevator and walked into the coffee area holding the sword. The concierge ran to the management office and alerted two maintenance men about the situation.
Ray approached a male resident, who was seated at a table having coffee and stated, “I am having a bad day,” according to the criminal complaint.
“(The victim) noticed the samurai sword at Ray’s side, stood up and tried to console Ray,” Rathfon alleged. “Ray, who was approximately four feet away, then swung the sword in an attempt to strike (the victim) in the neck. (The victim) leaned back to avoid being struck. The blade missed (the victim’s) neck by several inches.”
The victim then fled from the area on foot, falling down and injuring his leg.
One of the maintenance men who had been alerted by the concierge ran up behind Ray and wrapped his arms around him in a bear hug while Ray was still holding the sword at his side, detectives said. Ray and the maintenance worker fell to the ground and the second maintenance man “kicked the sword out of Ray’s hands,” detectives said.
The maintenance workers lay on top of Ray until police arrived and Ray was taken into custody without further incident, court papers indicate.
Defense lawyer P.J. D’Angelo represented Ray during the court proceedings.
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