Bystander Threatened by 'Grinch' with Knife at Stroll

Michael Harris, 44, of 44 Ledge Street, Nashua, was arrested Nov. 30, charged with criminal threatening, after pulling a knife on another man during the city's Holiday Stroll.

According to police, at about 10:45 p.m. Harris was shouting "negative comments about Christmas" at a woman who he was acquainted with at Railroad Square. They were near the city's Christmas tree, on Main Street near Canal Street. A bystander, who did not know Harris or the woman,  overheard the comments and tried to intervene by approaching Harris.

"Harris was saying things like 'nobody cares about this holiday' – and other derogatory comments about Christmas you probably don't want to print. The man gets about 10 feet away from Harris, when Harris tells the man that if he gets any closer, "it's going to get ugly," said Nashua Police Lt. Denis Linehan. 

At that point the man who was allegedly threatened called 911. Police arrived and found Harris at the scene, and determined that he had tossed the knife, which was recovered quickly. Harris was arrested without further incident. 

Following a records check, it was discovered that Harris is a convicted felon and should not have been in possession of a weapon. Additional charges of convicted felon and falsifying physical evidence were added.

Each Class B Felony is punishable by up to 7 years imprisonment, exclusive of fines. He was being held at the Nashua Police Department pending an arraignment in the 9th Circuit Nashua District Division Court on December 2nd, 2013