As you probably know, it is difficult enough to chase somebody while waving a chainsaw without having to worry that the person is going to suddenly turn and pull a gun on you, but I guess this is something that we all need to watch out for during future chainsaw pursuits.

Mike Morrison learned this recently while chasing a group of people out of a haunted house on Monday, October 26, in Maryland.  Morrison works at the "House of Screams" in costume as Leatherface, the killer in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."  In the movie, Leatherface wears a mask and chases people around with a chainsaw, among other impolite activities.  Morrison does that, too, except that there is no chain on his chainsaw.

Morrison apparently decided to get "one last scream" out of a group of people who had just finished touring the haunted house, and so he pursued the group up a staircase and out into the parking lot.  This was probably great fun until one member of the group, who turned out to be an off-duty police officer, turned, drew his service handgun, and pointed it at his pursuer from less than 10 feet away.  Wisely, and very uncharacteristically, Leatherface dropped his chainsaw, raised his hands, and slowly backed away.

The officer, Sgt. Eric Janik, had allegedly been drinking, which had prompted a security guard to follow the group through the House of Screams to make sure everything went smoothly.  It apparently did, until the part where an employee dressed as a masked serial killer chased the group outside with a roaring chainsaw and was nearly shot to death.  Other than that, everything was under control.

Morrison admitted that he pursued the group for "one last scream" even though Janik's 9-year-old daughter, who Janik had brought with him to the House of Screams, was already crying from fear.  According to the report, "Morrison said Janik's daughter appeared to be disturbed by his act, in which he pretends to cut one woman in half and disembowel another with the chain saw."  You think?  Still, I guess Leatherface was just doing his job.  I'm no expert in parenting, but I do think kids should be at least 10 before they are allowed to witness a disemboweling, don't you?  Maybe I'm just old-fashioned.

Janik was suspended by the department and has also been charged with assault.  Leatherface remains at large, likely even more dangerous now that he is almost certainly sporting a new pair of underpants.

Happy Halloween.

Link: AP via FindLaw.com
Link: Baltimore Sun