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'I Am Jesus': Man Charged With Attempting To Murder Two Police Officers Faces Judge

DES MOINES, Iowa (CBS Local) -- An Iowa man who police say shot at them during a standoff early Sunday morning claims to be Jesus. Troy Ruggles, 25, appeared tense as six guards escorted him into a Des Moines courtroom Monday morning to face two counts of attempted murder of a police officer.

"You're Mr. Ruggles, is that correct?" a Polk County judge asked.

"I am not," Ruggles replied.

Who Are you?" the judge asked.

"I am Jesus," Ruggles responded.

The unusual answer did not faze the judge, who set a $500,000 cash-only bond and ordered Ruggles to appear in court on Nov. 27, CBS affiliate KCCI reported.

Ruggles faces up to 25 years in prison on each count.

Court documents show officers Andrew Kilgore and Brian Minnehan were called to Parkside East Apartments early Sunday to investigate reports of shots fired.

The officers were met with gunfire when they arrived in the parking lot. Police returned fire, but no injuries were reported in the exchange.

Ruggles was taken into custody about three hours later.

"Something happened," said Kierstan Colby, the mother of Ruggles' child. "This ain't Troy. He's never harmful to anybody. He's always a nice guy trying to do everything for anybody he can."

Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek said that authorities had been called to Ruggles' apartment Saturday night because he displayed odd behavior.

Parizek said family members shared concerns about his possible substance abuse and mental health.

"What our officers saw there was he was a little hyper religious, but he wasn't threatening anybody or making any suicidal or homicidal statements," Parizek said. "So, we are really in a bad spot right there as far as compelling him to get some mental health treatment."

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