Armed Denton landlord who said, ‘We’ll see what I do’ to tenant arrested on assault charge

A Denton landlord who told police he thought about shooting his tenant during a confrontation earlier this month was arrested Wednesday at a city police station, Denton police said in a news release.

The landlord, Phillip Young, reported to police on Sept. 9 that his tenant, who had been renting a room in Young’s house, was trying to use the kitchen of their shared residence without having paid for “kitchen privileges,” the release said.

The renter, who recorded video of the incident, told police that Young brandished a gun and threatened him with it when the tenant tried to walk downstairs to the kitchen.

When the initial report was made, Young denied threatening the tenant and refused to allow officers to see or secure his handgun, police said. No injuries were reported in the incident.

This week, the 68-year-old landlord sent an email to Denton detectives and admitted he did think about shooting the tenant during the Sept. 9 incident, according to the release.

The renter’s video, which went viral on social media, showed Young holding a handgun and telling his tenant “we’ll see what I do” when asked if he was going to shoot.

Denton police said Young now faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon – family violence.

Young was in the Denton Jail on Wednesday with bail to be determined at arraignment.

On Sept. 9, Denton officers were dispatched at 12:42 p.m. to a civil disturbance in the 2000 block of Scripture Street. Young made the report on the kitchen issue. Police spoke with both parties, then left after determining no criminal offense had occurred.

At 4:39 p.m. that day, officers were dispatched to the same residence again when the tenant reported Young was threatening him with a gun. Officers spoke with both separately upon arrival.

The tenant reported that Young was holding a handgun and warning him to not go into the kitchen. The tenant initially told officers he did not want to press charges, and Denton police determined probable cause could not be established on scene, the release said. The two agreed to separate, and the case was referred to detectives.

Once detectives received and reviewed the case, both were interviewed again. The tenant then told investigators that Young’s actions placed him in fear and he felt threatened, and he said he would assist in prosecution if charges were filed.

Young told detectives that he did not intend on shooting the tenant during this interaction. However, in an email sent to detectives on Monday, Young admitted he did think about shooting the tenant during the Sept. 9 incident, police said.

The video recorded by the tenant starts with the landlord holding a handgun and asking the renter if he knows what Young is holding. When the tenant says yes, the landlord says he just wanted to make sure the tenant “knew it was there.” The video then cuts to the two of them standing on stairs in the home, where the landlord said he would not hesitate to defend himself.

The tenant, who has been identified by people on social media as a student at a local university, asks if he threatened the landlord. After another cut, Young is seen standing closer to the person making the recording. The tenant asks what would happen if he went to the kitchen.

“You going to shoot me?” the tenant asks in the video.

“We’ll see what I do,” the landlord responds. “If I have the gun with me, maybe you should figure it out. You think you’re so smart. You figure out what I’m going to do.”