Armed and Armored Woman Threatens Churchgoers
(DailyVantage.com) – Many people attend church on Sunday mornings to affirm their relationship with God. Sometimes the priest or other parishioners will greet people as they arrive for services. Members of a Pennsylvania church instead found someone in armor holding a gun.
On October 23, 31-year-old Amber Espigh met parishioners arriving at a Cumberland County church and threatened them with an assault rifle and a handgun. A detective attending the morning service asked the woman to leave, but she refused. According to state police, churchgoers kept the suspect engaged in conversation until authorities arrived just after 10 a.m. While there were reports of the woman pointing her weapon at multiple people, officers took her into custody without incident.
Carlisle: pic.twitter.com/ewaHD58OLk
— Trooper Megan Frazer (@PSPTroopHPIO) October 24, 2022
Espigh now faces a host of charges, including harassment, simple assault, terroristic threats, risking catastrophe, having unlawful body armor and carrying firearms without a license. She allegedly told officers she was looking for one of the priests at the church and intended to hold him hostage. Police also determined she was allegedly involved in a robbery earlier that day, though there are few details about the incident and an investigation is underway.
Cumberland County Prison is currently holding Espigh on $500,000 bail. There is no word on the motive behind the woman’s threatening display.
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