Metro

A city man was taken into custody after allegedly threatening a woman with a gun in front of her seven young children.

Jamill Lee Fowlkes, 34, was arraigned Friday by Magisterial District Judge Benjamin F. Jones on three felony counts of endangering the welfare of children, single felony counts of possession of a firearm prohibited, receiving stolen property and theft, as well as eight misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person, four misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of children, two misdemeanor counts of simple assault, a single misdemeanor count of making terroristic threats and a summary harassment charge. He was remanded to the Blair County Prison in lieu of $350,000 bail.

Altoona police were dispatched to an apartment along the 2200 block of Broad Avenue for a report of domestic violence about 10 a.m. Friday, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

The victim told officers she sent family members phone messages about Fowlkes’s abuse, which he had read. The victim said Fowlkes made her tell certain family members she was lying and that Fowlkes was a good person. Fowlkes then hit her with the phone, causing visible swelling to her lip, the police report states.

The victim told officers of another incident on Thursday, when she was on a Facetime call with a male friend. She said Fowlkes retrieved her firearm from her safe and told her to tell her friend she was in a relationship with Fowlkes. Fowlkes then “cocked” the firearm and said “you better start talking,” the report states.

The victim said her seven children, all under the age of 12, were in the room at the time. She told officers she didn’t know where Fowlkes put the firearm, court documents state.

Fowlkes’ criminal history showed he had prior convictions in 2013 and 2016, making him a person not to possess a firearm. When asked where the victim’s firearm was, Fowlkes denied ever touching it. Officers eventually located the firearm on top of a kitchen cabinet, according to the affidavit.

Fowlkes is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in front of Jones on June 18.