A man tried to flush a baby down a toilet before getting into a standoff with police in Pittsburgh early Tuesday morning, authorities said.
The incident began shortly after midnight when the baby's mother and father were arguing about child care inside a home on Southern Avenue in Mount Washington.
Police said the man, whom they identified as 31-year-old Dennis Gateley, pulled out a gun and held the 6-week-old baby's head in the toilet multiple times.
According to court papers obtained by WPXI, the family dog bit Gateley during a struggle between him and several family members over the child.
The baby's mother told investigators that Gateley also hit the child's head on a wall.
The woman and the baby were able to escape from the home. The child was taken to the hospital. The woman suffered a black eye in the incident.
When Gateley would not leave the home, SWAT was called. About two hours later, officers were able to convince him to surrender peacefully.
Gateley faces charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, terroristic threats and endangering the welfare of a child.
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