VIDEO: Louisiana Pastor Claims Neighbor’s Threats Sparked Violent Fight: ‘I’m Gonna Rape Your Wife’

A Louisiana pastor was arrested for allegedly beating up a 20-year-old neighbor he claimed threatened his family.

The incident happened Tuesday when Tony Spell walked across a highway to confront the young man, who lives across from Life Tabernacle Church, the Center Square reported Wednesday.

Video footage showed Spell walking across a busy street toward the young man. When he got closer, the neighbor appeared to try and punch him. The pair continued brawling and the pastor eventually threw the man on the ground and sat on top of him:

Spell later claimed the fight erupted after the man issued threats as he was working on a church bus.

According to WWL-TV, Spell told reporters, “He said, ‘Tony, I’m gonna rape your wife, I’m gonna rape all of your grandchildren,’ and he said, ‘The next time you go out of town, I’m gonna kill them, and what the F are you going to do about it?”

Spell was charged with second-degree battery and eventually bonded out of the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. The young man was taken to a hospital for treatment.

The victim reportedly suffered injuries that include a possible broken orbital bone, according to KLFY.

Spell claimed the threats have gone on for several years, adding, “Behind me are several witnesses who can attest to what was said; they have video, they have made numerous complaints to the police and sheriff’s department.”

He also claimed church congregants have been stalked and intimidated by the neighbors.

In response, Central Police Department Police Chief Roger Corcoran said, “Allegations that the Central Police Department has failed to investigate complaints lodged by Pastor or Mrs. Spell are untrue.”

He continued:

Our records reflect only five incidents involving Pastor or Mrs. Spell in the past four years, and only one of those involved a complaint against their neighbors. All calls to our department are recorded, and all persons who visit our department to make in-person complaints are captured on video. If dates and times of complaints were [sic] allegedly made are provided to me, I will order an audit of our systems to investigate any claim of a failure to investigate.

The neighbors have reportedly pushed back against the pastor’s account of the incident and claimed that “the dispute stems from a legal battle that began after Spell was arrested for violating COVID-19 restrictions during the pandemic,” the WWL-TV article noted.