DENVER -- A Colorado Springs man faces felony menacing charges after police said he threatened to cut off the heads of two women because they were Christians.

KRDO reported the man, Russell Bowman, who claims to be an atheist, made the threat on Sept. 8.

Bowman made his way to the woman's apartment with a knife Friday, police said.

According to police reports, a neighbor saw him and grabbed a shotgun and went to defend the two.

Bowman refused to drop his knife, police said, and the neighbor hit him with the butt of the shotgun.

Bowman was taken to a local hospital, where doctors removed his eye, police said.