Two Men Arrested For Bringing Guns to the Pokemon World Championships

guns

On the Boston Police Department’s official blog, news has been reported about two suspects who were apprehended trying to enter the 2015 Pokemon World Championships, a yearly invitational tournament for Pokemon players from across the world. After allegedly making violent threats on social media, two men from Iowa (aged 18 and 27 respectively) had Police waiting for them on Thursday at the Hynes Convention Center where the event was taking place. A search of their vehicle on Friday revealed that they were in possession of a hunting rifle, a 12-gague shotgun, and plenty of ammunition, all without a license to carry. The duo have been arrested and are waiting to be arraigned.  Here’s the official announcement

On Thursday, August 20, 2015, members of the Boston Regional Intelligence Center (BRIC) received information from private sector public safety personnel at the Hynes Convention Center at 900 Boylston Street in District D-4 (South End) regarding threats of violence made over social media to attendees of the Pokemon World Championships.

Security officers at the Hynes, officers in District D-4, and the BRIC immediately began investigation into these threats, and hours later, the two male suspects were stopped attempting to enter the event. BRIC and D-4 Detectives responded to further investigate. Detectives were informed that the suspects had driven to the event from Iowa and were in possession of several firearms in their vehicle. The suspects could not produce a License to Carry. Officers seized the vehicle, and the suspects were released pending a search warrant.

On Friday, August 21, 2015, detectives received and executed a search warrant for the suspect vehicle. Upon execution of the warrant, detectives recovered one 12-gauge Remington shotgun, one DPMS Model AR-15 rifle, several hundred rounds of ammunition, and a hunting knife. An arrest warrant was issued for the two suspects.

With the assistance of the Saugus Police Department, BPD detectives located and arrested the suspects at a Saugus hotel. Eighteen-year-old Kevin Norton and 27-year-old James Stumbo, both of Iowa, were arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, and other firearm related charges. The suspects will be arraigned at Boston Municipal Court.

Said BPD Bureau of Intelligence and Analysis Commander Superintendent Paul Fitzgerald, “The relationship between police and private sector security is important in both our community policing philosophy, as well as our counter-terrorism strategy. This incident is a good example of private security reaching out to their local Boston police district and relaying information to detectives and BRIC analysts in order to identify the very real threat. The BPD detectives and collaborating agencies did a great job in the stop and prevention of a potential tragedy.”

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