Daughter, 22, Disarms Father, Applies Tourniquet To Mother

Lower Frederick resident Stephen Jacobs is in Montgomery County Correctional Facility in lieu of $75,000 bail following his arrest in connection with a shooting and standoff incident at his Fulmer Road residence Wednesday night.

According to Lower Frederick Police Chief Paul Maxey, Jacobs is charged with two counts of criminal attempted murder, two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of simple assault, two counts of terroristic threats, three counts of reckless endangerment and one count of possession of an instrument of crime.

Jacobs was arraigned Thursday at District Justice Maurice Saylor’s office in Gilbertsville.

Wednesday night’s events started when Jacobs, who had reportedly been drinking, “flew into a rage” during a dispute with his 22-year-old daughter and allegedly “pointed a loaded gun at her,” Maxey said during a phone interview Thursday.

Jacobs’ daughter, who lives at home with her parents, grabbed the gun and “a struggle ensued,” Maxey said. Jacobs was allegedly firing the .22-caliber Ruger handgun during the struggle.

According to the report, the daughter eventually threw her father to the floor of the garage, and Jacobs allegedly continued to fire the gun. When Jacobs’ wife came to assist their daughter, she was struck in the leg by a round from the gun, Maxey reported.

Jacobs’ daughter was able to disarm her father, Maxey said, and then put the gun’s magazine in her pocket and threw the gun into the wooded area that surrounds the house.

According to police, the young woman made a tourniquet for her mother’s injured leg, and the two women -- along with a friend of the daughter’s who also lives at the house -- got into the car and drove to the hospital and called 911 from the car.

Jacobs was alone in the house at that time, said Maxey.

Jacobs has allegedly threatened suicide in the past and authorities were told that as the women left for the hospital, Jacobs again threatened to harm himself, Maxey said.

Before Wednesday night, Lower Frederick police officers had never been dispatched to the Fulmer Road house.

“The family was kind of unknown to us,” Maxey replied when asked if there had been prior incidents at the home.

“In situations such as this, individuals can barricade themselves in their homes,” Maxey explained. He also learned there were other weapons in the home.

Maxey said he called Jacobs and spoke to him, claiming “it was evident he (Jacobs) was highly intoxicated.”

Maxey said Jacobs knew what had happened, but allegedly did not grasp the magnitude of the situation.

Concerned that the situation could escalate, or become a “suicide by cop,” Maxey set up a perimeter of other law enforcement personnel including Pennsylvania State Police SERT to contain Jacobs and continued to garner intelligence on the situation.

Helicopters with infrared were also in place in the event that police need to search the wooded lands around the house, Maxey said.

The woods’ cover and the fact that police were unfamiliar with the house’s layout had the potential to further complicate the situation, he said.

The family, however, cooperated with police in describing some aspects of the house and property, Maxey said.

Once the personnel was in place, a hostage negotiator called the home and eventually convinced Jacobs “it was in his best interest to talk with police,” Maxey said and added Jacobs surrendered without incident.

Maxey said he would “characterize (Jacobs) as ‘emotionally detached,’” when he was arrested.

The police chief also wanted to express “(his) sincere appreciation” to Pennsylvania State Police, Limerick Township Police, Upper Perkiomen Police, Lower Frederick Fire Company and Regional Ambulance Corps.

He also lauded the efforts Lower Providence Police Department’s K-9 Unit, which helped find and retrieve the handgun from the woods, and Capt. McDonald and Cpl. Rudy of the Pennsylvania State Police.

“This ended so successfully because we had such well-qualified people on the scene to keep anyone, including (the suspect)” from any harm, Maxey said.