Police say woman who reported thefts charged with felony after video shows her firing gun

A Tarentum woman who told police her boyfriend stole her cellphone and a $3,000 pair of eyeglasses faces a felony gun charge.

Tanishia Teyla Allen-Colvin, 37, of the 600 block of East Seventh Avenue was charged with a count of carrying a firearm without a license along with reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct.

She faces a preliminary hearing before District Judge Carolyn Bengel on Aug. 17, according to court records.

Police wrote in a criminal complaint charging Allen-Colvin that she came into the Tarentum police station July 3 “screaming that she needed help.”

She told police her boyfriend took her cellphone and a pair of eyeglasses and provided them with a description of the man, police said.

Police said they located him walking several blocks away and that he told them he and Allen-Colvin were arguing and that she told him to leave, according to the complaint.

He said he took the telephone because he bought it for her but told investigators he did not know anything about her glasses, the complaint said.

Police confiscated the telephone and told the man he had to file a complaint at a district judge’s office and prove ownership of the device to get it back, the complaint said.

Investigators said they received a video July 4 from an anonymous resident who lives on the same block that led to the charges against Allen-Colvin.

Police said the man is seen in the video walking along East Seventh Street with Allen-Colvin following behind, the complaint said.

Investigators said Allen-Colvin can be heard “screaming something about a cellphone” on the video before pulling out a small black pistol and firing it into the air, the complaint said.

Police filed the felony charge against her after determining that she did not have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, the complaint said.