Niagara Falls Police responded to the 1300 block of Cleveland Avenue around 8pm on August 22nd after reports of a landlord-tenant dispute.
Upon arrival, police spoke to the complainant who stated that his landlord had changed the locks and won’t let him in to get his belongings. The landlord, who was present, told police that the tenant was not going inside.
Officers explained to the landlord that he would have to formally evict the tenant in order to remove him from the residence, which was not done here. It was noted in the police incident report that the house was condemned but give that the tenant was only there to collect belongings this was not an issue.
Officers allowed the tenant to retrieve his belongings and went with him into the residence. As the tenant was leaving the second floor apartment with his belongings, the landlord pushed the tenant at the top of the stairs causing him to lose his balance and almost fall down the stairs. The landlord did this in front of officers and it was clear that the landlord’s intention was to cause serious bodily injury to the tenant by pushing him down a flight of stairs.
The tenant told police that he was in fear for his safety and would like the landlord arrested. He also wanted an order of protection.
The landlord was taken into custody and transported to police headquarters for booking and processing. He was released with an appearance ticket. No further information is available at this time.
Landlord Tries to Evict Tenant by Pushing Him Down Flight of Stairs