A man who ran for Allegheny County Council two years ago is accused of threatening several people with a gun at a Plum Borough Republican Committee meeting Thursday evening, according to authorities.
Eric Phillip Casteel, 62, was arrested at his Plum home Thursday and charged with three misdemeanor counts each of endangering another person, terroristic threats and simple assault.
He was detained in the Allegheny County Jail following his April 28 arraignment after a district judge determined he is a danger to the community, according to court records.
On May 2 Casteel’s case was reviewed by a Common Pleas Court judge and he was released on a nonmonetary bond, court records show. Casteel faces a preliminary hearing May 10, according to court records.
According to a criminal complaint, Casteel began yelling shortly before 8:15 p.m. during the Republican Committee meeting at Plum Community Center on New Texas Road.
He then walked out of the building, saying he would be back.
Three others attending the meeting — Jerry Purcell, Paul Dern and Michael Doyle — followed Casteel outside to try to deescalate the situation, the complaint said.
Purcell is a candidate for Plum Council in the spring primary. Doyle is president of Plum Council and a candidate for district judge, while Dern is council’s vice president.
They, along with the borough’s GOP committee chairman, Steve Schlauch, did not respond to requests for comment about the incident.
Lisa Buckiso, vice chair for the Republican Committee of Allegheny County, issued a statement Friday afternoon saying the incident began because Casteel was upset about the vote for a new vice chair.
The three men Casteel is accused of threatening told police they saw him put what appeared to be a firearm in his waistband, police say. They tried to retreat to Purcell’s truck but said Casteel approached them with the firearm in his hand, according to the complaint.
Police said Casteel then aimed the gun at Dern and said, “I’ll shoot you,” according to the arrest papers. Casteel fled the scene after one of the alleged victims called 911, authorities said.
When police arrested Casteel at his home in the 100 block of Valley Fields Drive, they found a gun in the trunk of his son’s car with a loaded magazine and a live round in the chamber, according to the criminal complaint.
Plum police Chief Lanny Conley on Friday said the gun used in the incident is registered to Casteel, who has a permit to carry a concealed firearm.
Casteel failed to win a seat when he ran for Allegheny County Council in 2021.
