Pokemon World Championship Attack: Cops Nab Two Armed Suspects At Event
A Fox report reveals that after having caught whiff of two armed men plotting to threaten the public at the Pokemon World Championship on August 24, cops took pre-emptive action.
The Boston police arrested the two suspects, 18-year-old Kevin Norton and 27-year-old James Stumbo, at their hotel in Saugus. The two men were carrying a whole lot of ammunition, and guns were recovered from their vehicle. They drove to the event from Iowa.
Boston Police Department Bureau of Intelligence and Analysis Commander Superintendent Paul Fitzgerald spoke about how they effectively worked with the private security company at the event to nab the criminals.
"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," he said.
Word about the threat spread from social media, and attendees notified the authorities and the organizers of the event in advance.
Here's a statement from the Pokemon Company about being informed and ensuring the safety of players and fans.
"Prior to the event this weekend, our community of players made us aware of a security issue. We gathered information and gave it as soon as possible to the authorities at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center who acted swiftly and spearheaded communication with the Boston Police Department. Due to quick action, the potential threat was resolved. The Pokémon Company International takes the safety of our fans seriously and will continue to ensure proper security measures are a priority."