On Tuesday, February 20, at 6:20 pm, officers were dispatched to AMC Theaters within Central Mall at 2259 S 9th in response to a potential battery. As officers were en route, another call came in, this time concerning a possible altercation at Dunhams, involving multiple individuals.
Upon arrival, officers encountered a 14-year-old male accompanied by his 31-year-old mother and 29-year-old stepfather. According to reports, the teenager and his friends had been pursued by several individuals while on the opposite side of the mall. While running, the teen called his mom and went into Dunhams. His mom and step-dad arrived, asked their son to come outside, and he was allegedly confronted by a 17-year-old male. The mom and step-dad intervened to keep their son safe.
Subsequently, a confrontation ensued involving the 17-year-old male. Allegedly, threats were directed towards the family by the 17-year-old, including assertions regarding knowledge of their residence and intentions to harm them. Additionally, the 17-year-old was reported to have made gestures suggesting access to a weapon within his backpack.
However, with the imminent arrival of law enforcement sirens, the 17-year-old individual fled into a nearby residential area. Fortunately, an off-duty detective, alerted by the sirens, managed to detain the subject until the arrival of officers.
No gun was located and it's believed that no gun was ever involved in this incident. The 17-year-old was arrested on requested charges including aggravated assault, criminal threat, battery, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
