South Carolina man tells police he hid in girlfriend’s shower naked with a knife to ‘lighten the mood’

Content warning: This article describes intimate partner violence. Please take care while reading.

A terrifying blend of poor judgment and criminal behavior happened recently in Charleston, South Carolina where police arrested 25-year-old Jackson Collum Arnold after he allegedly hid in his “on-again off-again” girlfriend’s shower, naked from the waist down, with a knife, all under the guise of a “prank” to “lighten the mood.” He told police he just wanted to talk to her.

Naked from the waist down, bike shorts on his head

According to South Carolina police, on Saturday, May 3, 2025, Arnold waited in the woman’s shower until she returned home around midnight. He was naked from the waist down, wearing a baseball cap, and had a pair of the woman’s bike shorts over his face.

According to police reports viewed by Charleston’s WCIV, Arnold emerged from her shower when she got home, pressed a knife to her head, and pretended to cut her throat. He then allegedly choked her long enough for her vision to become “foggy” and to obstruct her breathing before she managed to remove his disguise and recognize him. According to the police, the knife never touched her throat — but in the moment, we’re not sure how much difference that makes.

“The victim was able to remove the shorts from the unknown male’s face; it was at that time she realized it was her ex-boyfriend, Jackson Arnold,” the police report said. The woman told police she was “in imminent fear for her life and the possibility of being raped.” Once the woman escaped, she ran to a nearby house and asked them to call 911.

It was just a “prank,” Arnold said

The victim told police that once she recognized Arnold, she asked him what he was doing, and he told her it was just a “prank.” Arnold later told the police he intended to “surprise” her, and that he did what he did to “lighten the mood” after the couple had argued via text messages.

Arnold’s actions were not spontaneous. He parked several hundred feet from where the woman lived, and reportedly left his phone behind, possibly to prevent tracking because he shared his location with the victim using the Life360 app. Police recovered the knife he used at the scene, his underwear was found in the bathroom, and he had his jeans back on by the time police arrived. 

After his arrest, Arnold was booked early Sunday on charges of assault and battery, first-degree burglary, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on June 19.