Police: Inmate Threatened Jail Guard, Cellmate With 'Shank'

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- An Allegheny County Jail inmate is accused of threatening a jail guard and his cellmate with a "shank" last month.

The incident happened just before 5 a.m. on May 24.

Officials say 28-year-old Joshua Evans, an inmate at the jail, approached an on-duty Corrections Officer who was getting ready to take several inmates to court hearings. Evans pulled out a 9-inch "shank" and threatened to assault the officer.

(Photo Credit: Allegheny County Police)

Police say the officer was able to pull an emergency alert and additional jail staff members came to help.

Evans then went back to his cell, tied up his cellmate using torn bed linens and held his cellmate at knifepoint.

An officer negotiated with Evans and got him to surrender the shank. Evans was taken into custody. No one was injured.

Evans is facing multiple charges, including aggravated assault, terroristic threats and prohibited offensive weapons.

He remains in the Allegheny County Jail.