Homeless man arrested on animal cruelty warrant after alleged threats at local hospital

ALTON - A homeless man allegedly threatened to "shoot up" the cafeteria of Alton Memorial Hospital Wednesday afternoon, a representative from the Alton Police Department said.

Police arrived at the scene and arrested the 35-year-old man on a warrant out of the Madison County Sheriff's Office for animal cruelty. He was found to have a backpack and large hunting knife on his person at the time of the arrest, but police said that knife was not a part of any threats.

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No one was harmed by the man, and police did not report the man having a gun to be able to carry out those alleged threats.

Police were alerted to the situation by hospital security.

A person affiliated with Alton Memorial Hospital contacted Riverbender.com and said no one was threatened, nor was anyone in danger of bodily harm. They said the person came in the hospital over the course of the last few days with no suspicious behavior noted.

On Wednesday, however, the man's brother contacted the hospital and informed hospital staff the man may want to harm someone in the hospital, but the witness said the man never did anything nor did he attempt to do anything regarding that warning.

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