FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) – A man wearing a bullet-proof vest and a gas mask wielded a samurai sword against two tow truck drivers who tried to remove his car in Fort Collins on Sunday.

One man at the scene was struck in the chest with the sword, police said, but suffered only a minor cut.

Police said Jeremiah Proctor, 27, had been warned not to block other drivers with his car at the Pier Apartments where he lives.

The situation blew up when the tow truck arrived to move his pickup.

As one of the drivers, Josh Noel, hitched the truck, Proctor arrived and began swinging the sword.

“I turned around and saw the sword was coming down,” Noel said. He raised his armed to block the sword. Noel, an Army veteran, said his military training kicked in. He was not hurt, but Proctor then stabbed the tires and struck the other man.

“Once I got the sword out of his hand, it fell to the ground,” Noel said. “I came over and helped him tackle him, and I held him down until residents helped us subdue him.”

Police took Proctor to a hospital and then to jail. Officers said Proctor told them he is ex-military. That’s one reason Noel said he’d like to see charges dropped.

He said word of what happened will ostracize Proctor, a man he said may need mental health attention.

“That’s more of the issue I (sympathize) about, especially today,” Noel said. “He obviously fell through the (cracks) and isn’t getting the attention he needs to be a (productive) member of society.”

Police would not comment on Proctor’s mental state.

He’s charged with attempted first-degree assault, felony menacing and criminal mischief.