Somerville Man Arrested After Making Threats With Kitchen Knife

SOMERVILLE, MA — A man was arrested after reportedly threatening a resident with a knife in a February incident recently revealed by police.

Jeffrey Rufo, 48, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon on Monday, Feb. 16. Officer Keighla McAloney and other officers traveled to the scene on 20R Summer St shortly before 4 p.m. after receiving a report of threats. Upon arrival, Rufo and the person who reported the incident were separated.

The reporting party, whose identity has not been revealed, is a part of the family who owns the residential property. He said he became involved after receiving a complaint from one of his tenants that Rufo was smoking marijuana and littering in the parking lot of the property. Rufo reportedly called the man derogatory names and taunted him about calling the authorities when he was confronted.

“Do it, they won’t show up anyway,” Rufo said according to the property owner. The man then went inside his car which was parked in the parking lot and reached out to Somerville police. Rufo went inside his nearby apartment before emerging with a large silver and black kitchen knife. He approached the passenger side window of the property owner’s vehicle. Rufo is accused of making several non-verbal threats, such as pointing at the man while motioning the knife across his own throat.

McAloney said the first thing she noticed upon arrival was the knife, which was on the front steps of the building. While she spoke with the property owner, other officers got Rufo’s side of the story, in which he denied any involvement of a knife and that he and the other man were just in a verbal argument about trash.

One person who said they witnessed at least part of the altercation said that Rufo briefly chased the property owner’s vehicle on foot as well.

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