Two Iowa men were arrested outside the Pokemon World Championships in Boston on Thursday for possession of a rifle, shotgun, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition after police were alerted to alleged threats the men made online.
"The BPD detectives did a great job in the stop and prevention of a potential tragedy," said Superintendent Paul Fitzgerald, commander of the police department's Bureau of Intelligence and Analysis,
My Fox Boston reported.
"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."
According to The Boston Herald, roommates James Stumbo, 27, and Kevin Norton, 18, were set to play in the U.S. masters division at the Pokemon World Championship. They allegedly joked about "killing the competition" on Facebook, and posted a photo of their weapons before driving out to the competition.
Security at the Hynes Convention Center was tipped off before the pair arrived, and stopped them from entering. The police were called, and the men's weapons were soon found in a parked car. Neither men produced permits for the weapons, and police seized the car.
After obtaining a warrant, the men were arrested at a Red Roof Inn in Saugus on Saturday. They are expected to be arraigned at Boston Municipal Court on Monday.
"Prior to the event this weekend, our community of players made us aware of a security issue," the Pokemon International Company wrote in a statement on Sunday.
"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 Pokemon Company International takes the safety of our fans seriously and will continue to ensure proper security measures are a priority."
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