Man accused of brandishing knife, threatening teens

A Cape Girardeau man was arrested Wednesday on a charge of unlawful use of a weapon in connection with an altercation Sunday at a car wash, police reported.

Patrick Shawn Gilbert, 37, approached two teenagers and said, "I see you over there looking all tough," according to Cape Girardeau police.

Eventually, the confrontation would escalate, with Gilbert swinging a knife in a slashing motion at a different man, police said.

Gilbert approached two 19-year-olds about 2:30 p.m. July 10 at a car wash on William Street, quickly showing a knife and then putting the weapon back in his pocket before getting face-to-face with one of them, according to a probable-cause statement filed by patrolman Joshua Gregory of the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

Gilbert told one of the teens he was going to go to his apartment and get his gun, Gregory wrote.

One of the 19-year-olds called his brother, and the three of them went to Boulevard Apartments, where they saw Gilbert on the top floor of the building, yelling at people, Gregory wrote.

When the teen's brother crossed the street from the gas station, Gilbert went downstairs, grabbed a black knife from his pocket, opened the blade and began swinging the knife in a slashing motion toward the brother before running back to an apartment, Gregory wrote.

Police arrived and followed a trail of blood droplets to the third floor, where Gilbert eventually was found, according to the statement.

Gilbert suffered a gash to his left hand, but he said he did not know how he received the injury, Gregory wrote.

Officers searched Gilbert's apartment with his consent and found a black-and-silver pocket knife with blood on its six-inch blade, according to the statement.

Gilbert was on probation for possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while intoxicated, Gregory wrote.

bkleine@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address

45 S. West End Blvd., Cape Girardeau, MO