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Pennsylvania man who said he was Jesus threatened to kill family, police say

KDKA-TV Evening Forecast (4/3)
KDKA-TV Evening Forecast (4/3) 02:56

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A Clarion County man who claimed he was Jesus Christ was arrested after threatening to kill his family, authorities said. 

Rocky Ruffner of Hawthorn was charged with terroristic threats and harassment in connection with the incident, exploreClarion reported. 

Court records obtained by the outlet show that officers with the Brookville Borough Police Department were called to meet with the victim, who reported receiving death threats from the 46-year-old Ruffner. The victim told police that he and Ruffner were family and they had not talked in more than seven years. 

The criminal complaint said the victim told investigators that Ruffner left him multiple voicemails claiming to be Jesus Christ, exploreClarion reported. Ruffner also said, according to the criminal complaint, that he hoped "the entire family was there because (he's) going to kill them all."

The outlet reported that at one point, Ruffner called the victim and a police officer answered. He told the officer that he was Jesus Christ and was allowed to do whatever he wanted because "he had the authority of God," according to the court documents obtained by exploreClarion.  

An arrest warrant was then issued and Ruffner was arrested in Novato, California after barricading himself inside a fast-food restaurant. 

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