Inver Grove Heights Teen Charged with Making Terroristic Threats

An Inver Grove Heights teenager who told police that he hadn’t been feeling like himself lately has been charged with making terroristic threats after authorities say he pulled a knife on a man and held it to the victim’s throat earlier this month.

Joseph John Gallahue, 18, faces a felony charge of making terroristic threats, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. He is also charged with recklessly handling a dangerous weapon, a misdemeanor which carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, Inver Grove Heights police were called to Cahill Road and 78th Street just after 9:30 p.m. June 15, after a person reported a male named Joey was holding a knife to another man’s throat.

A witness told police that she and the victim had been at a nearby store when Gallahue pulled a knife on him, the complaint says. Two other witnesses told police that they had come to the store to pick up Gallahue, and when they arrived, they saw him holding a knife near the victim, and one of them heard Gallahue yelling at the victim that he was going to kill him, according to the complaint.

The victim told police that he “had issues in the past” with Gallahue, and when Gallahue showed up that evening, the victim extended his hand to shake hands. Gallahue told him to put his hand down, then pulled a butterfly knife with a six-inch blade from his pants pocket, according to the complaint.

The victim told police that Gallahue pushed him up against the wall and held the knife blade to his throat, making it difficult for him to breathe, and threatened to stab him, telling him “his life was not worth anything,” according to the complaint.

The victim said he was able to push Gallahue away, but when he turned to walk away, Gallahue followed him and walked alongside him, poking at him with the knife.

The victim told police that when Gallahue’s friends showed up, they pulled him away from the confrontation.

When police arrested Gallahue, he told them he had known the victim for a while, and admitted pulling a knife on him and holding it to his throat, the complaint says.

Gallahue told police that he “has been feeling down lately and not like himself,” and that he didn’t remember much of what he said to the victim. He admitted drinking shots earlier in the evening, but police say he refused to submit to a preliminary breath test.