Two Iowa men were arrested on gun charges at the Pokemon World Championship in Boston after allegedly making violent threats via social media, according to the Associated Press. The 12th Pokemon World Championship was being held at the Hynes Convention Center this year, according Boston Magazine. Convention security reported the threats on Thursday, according to the AP. Before the event, the two suspects were promptly apprehended.
The two men arrested were James Austin Stumbo and Kevin Norton. After searching their vehicle, detectives found a 12-gauge shotgun, an AR-15 rifle, several hundred rounds of ammunition and a hunting knife, according to New York Daily News.
The two were charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and other related charges, according to Boston Magazine. The pair will be arraigned on Monday in Boston Municipal Court.
Stumbo originally posted the threat in a Facebook group called "Mayhem Pokemon Crew," with a photo of the shotgun and rifle, according to Boston Magazine.
Later in the group, after a member wished them good luck, Norton replied, "With killing the competition?" according to New York Daily News.
Paul Fitzgerald, Boston Police Department Bureau of Intelligence and Analysis Commander, gave a statement: "This incident is a good example of private security reaching out to their local Boston police district and relaying information to detectives and [Boston Regional Intelligence Center] analysts in order to identify the very real threat. The BPD detectives did a great job in the stop and prevention of a potential tragedy," he said, according to Boston Magazine.
