Salem Police arrested a 21-year-old Salem man for unlawful use of a weapon and aggravated assault after he eventually came out of his home on his own unarmed Monday morning after briefly refusing to allow his two-year-old son to leave the residence.
Joseph Fortman of the 200 block of South Marion had left the child’s mother in the home without the child about seven minutes earlier when Salem Police first arrived. Fortman had exited the home while Police were still assessing the situation.
Police had initially been called by friends of the mother who reported she was concerned about staying at the home because Fortman had the gun and had been acting suicidal.
Police say when Fortman exited the home, he was not armed and offered no resistance. Police were then able to go into the home and get the two-year-old who was placed in the mother’s custody.
Police later found a loaded pistol inside the home.
