MANCHESTER, NH – A Bay State man is being detained in the Valley Street jail on charges he threatened employees of two businesses with a gun on Aug. 18.
Mark Kidman, 57, of 33 Broad St., Westfield, Mass., was video arraigned in Manchester district court on Tuesday on five counts of criminal threatening with a deadly weapon, all felonies; one count each of simple assault and resisting arrest/detention, both misdemeanors. Those charges are related to a Monday night incident at the Texas Roadhouse, 1525 South Willow St.
On Wednesday, he was arraigned on two counts of criminal threatening with a deadly weapon related to an incident that occurred earlier in the day on Aug. 18 at the Caribbean Market, 91 Maple St.
In both cases, he was ordered placed in preventative detention (without bail) at the Valley Street jail. While jailed, he also is to be evaluated by personnel from the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester to determine if he should be involuntarily committed to the New Hampshire Hospital in Concord.
According to court documents, just after 9 p.m. on Monday, police were sent to the Texas Roadhouse, for a report of a man with a gun inside the restaurant who was arguing with employees. He also reportedly threatened someone with a knife.
Restaurant staff had disarmed Kidman, who was sitting in a booth but still causing a scene, when the officers arrived. He resisted their attempt to detain him but eventually officers managed to take him into custody.
An employee told police that while she was waiting on Kidman, he grabbed her hand and asked to pray for her. He then put her hand on his forehead and began praying. Another worker tried to intercede and, she said, Kidman pulled out a gun and began waving it around.
J.C. told police he was in the kitchen when he was told a man in the dining area was yelling about “Jesus” and making the wait staff uncomfortable. The waitress had already asked the man to leave but he refused.
He and another employee spoke to Kidman who reached into his bag and grabbed a handgun. J.C. said Kidman began waving it around in the direction of other employees. J.C. said as he waved it around it pointed at him and he was concerned due to the man’s erratic behavior.
J.C. said Kidman said something to the effect that “it’s not even loaded,” so J.C. asked to see the gun. He was able to get the gun, a Walther PPK 7.65 mm semi-automatic firearm, from Kidman.
Another employee told police Kidman had been in the restaurant for about a half-hour without causing any problems. As time passed, however, Kidman began acting erratic and began yelling that “Jesus is Lord!”
The employee said when he saw Kidman take the server’s hand and not let go it, he approached them and told Kidman the waitress had other tables to wait on. Kidman, he said, told him to “fuck off” and kept holding the waitress’s hand.
Kidman then reached into his knapsack and pulled out the gun and yelled, “I have this gun.” He said Kidman was holding it by the pistol grip and his finger never touched the trigger. Still, the employee said he was in fear for his life due to Kidman’s previous hostility towards him.
After the staff member took the gun, Kidman eventually sat down but then he took a steak knife from the table, said, “I’ve got a weapon too.” He remained seated until police arrived.
On Tuesday, police learned of the incident at the Caribbean Market when the owner reported it. He told Officer Gregory Levesque his employees told him that at 7:38 p.m. on Monday a man, identified by police as Kidman, entered the store and was making strange comments and yelling “praise Allah.”
The owner provided police with video footage of the incident. After yelling, Kidman is recorded going inside the business and getting into an argument with the two employees. The employees do not speak English and didn’t understand what Kidman was saying.
Kidman, according to Levesque’s affidavit, pulled out a gun from his black and blue backpack and was waiving it around the store. He was not holding it by it handle. On the video, Levesque said he is heard saying “You know who I am? Special Ops. We take out people,” and saying, “I’ll break your fucking head.” Kidman then left the business.
Kidman was quickly identified after Levesque sent out a department-wide email of a photo of him and a photo of his vehicle. Levesque learned Kidman was already under arrest for the Texas Roadhouse incident.
Kidman is to appear in district court on Aug. 28 at 8:30 a.m. for a probable cause hearing.