ITHACA, N.Y.—The Ithaca Police Department arrested Gerald Smith of Ithaca at the Ithaca Arthaus on Friday after a shelter-in-place order had been issued at the apartment building. Smith, age 32, was arrested on five charges, including assault, strangulation, and unlawfully restraining another person.
Ithaca police report that they arrived at the Ithaca Arthaus on Cherry Street around 10:10 p.m. on Friday after being notified that Smith was at the location, threatening to shoot someone and himself with a gun.
Smith fled into a nearby apartment when police officers arrived Friday night, but officers report that they were able to access the apartment Smith had fled to after a short time. Police say that no gun was found in the apartment or on Smith’s person when he was taken into custody.
In their release, police include that they had previously responded to a domestic assault incident involving Smith on May 1.
The victim had told the responding officers they knew the individual that had assaulted them. Smith was identified by police as the suspect in the assault, but had fled the scene that night. Ithaca police officers had filed an arrest warrant for Smith at the time.
Friday night, Smith was remanded to Tompkins County Jail on a $40,000 bail after being arraigned in Ithaca City Court by Judge Seth Peacock.
The following are the five charges that Gerald Smith was arrested on:
- Assault in the 2nd Degree
- Strangulation in the 2nd Degree
- Unlawful Imprisonment in the 1st Degree
- Aggravated Family Offense
- Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree