HARMONY — A man this morning fired a gun inside his mother’s house, authorities said.

A short time later, he showed up at a nearby convenience store in Jackson Township, claiming someone had broken into his house and was torturing his mother.

When police got to the Buy ‘n Fly on Route 68, the 45-year-old man tussled with several officers before he was eventually arrested and taken to the hospital for psychiatric evaluation.

“He was extremely violent and very, very combative with officers,” township Police Chief Terry Seilhamer said.

The suspect, 45-year-old Douglas Spink, whose address was not immediately known, was visiting his mother. Investigators said he has a history of mental problems.

Zelienople Police Chief Jim Miller said he faces a long list of charges.

Zelienople police, which patrols Harmony, were called at 5:38 a.m. to Spink’s house on Old Little Creek Road for reported gunshots fired. His mother told police that he had randomly fired a handgun, telling her that a burglar was inside.

She owns the .38-caliber handgun, Miller said.

But the woman told authorities that there was no burglar. She said her son left the house with the firearm.

Miller said police are investigating reports that Spink broke into a house a short time after leaving his mother’s house.

Just minutes later, Jackson Township police were called to the Buy ‘n Fly, where they found Spink.

The lone clerk, a young woman, called 911 after the suspect came into the store and told her that he had been hit by a car and that there was a burglar in his house with his mother, Seilhamer said.

Spink went around the counter.

“She was scared,” Seilhamer said of the clerk.

Eventually, as many as a half dozen officers from Jackson and Zelienople showed up at the store. Police soon were struggling with the man.

“At any one time in tight quarters, there were three or four officers trying to get him under control,” Seilhamer said.

Spink was flailing his arms and kicking his feet at officers and at whatever else he could, police said.

“He damaged a lot of property,” Seilhamer said, “including racks of cigarettes and snacks.”

Police used several sets of handcuffs to restrain Spink before he was strapped to a gurney and taken by ambulance to Butler Memorial Hospital

Police searched for but did not find the handgun.