Officer held pending dangerousness hearing

BEVERLY — A Manchester-by-the-Sea police sergeant arrested outside his Beverly home early Saturday, after allegedly firing a gun during a domestic dispute, will remain held without bail pending a hearing today to determine whether his release will pose a danger to his wife or the public, a judge ordered.

John H. “Jay” Swallow, 54, pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges that include assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, discharging a firearm within a dwelling, and three counts of improper storage of a firearm. He was arraigned in Salem District Court, where details of what triggered the dispute emerged.

Police found numerous guns, as well as four samurai swords, owned by Swallow, as well as a “huge cache” of hundreds of guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition in the basement of the Devon Avenue home. The guns in the basement belong to an Ipswich man who is currently deployed in Afghanistan, police said.

Swallow’s wife, who had fled to a neighbor’s home before the gun went off, told police the couple had been arguing on Friday night. As the argument escalated, Swallow allegedly assaulted his wife.

http://www.salemnews.com/local/x1133192882/Officer-held-pending-dangerousness-hearing