The Boston Police Department say two men have been arrested after making “threats of violence” over social media against attendees at the Pokemon World Championships.
Boston police said Sunday that security officers at the Hynes Convention Centre investigated threats made against the event and prevented two male suspects from Iowa from entering the event.
The two men were initially released but their vehicle was seized after reports that it may have contained weapons.
Detectives executed a search warrant on Friday and discovered a 12-gauge Remington shotgun, one DPM5 Model AR-15 rifle, several hundred rounds of ammunition, and a hunting knife.
Boston police later arrested 18-year-old Kevin Norton and 27-year-old James Stumbo, both of Iowa, at a hotel Saugus, north of Boston.
Stumbo allegedly posted a photo on a Pokémon players Facebook group page of a car with guns lying across the trunk with the message: “Kevin Norton and I are ready for worlds Boston here we come!!!
When a user commented on the post wishing them luck, Norton replied “With killing the competition?”
BPD said the arrest highlights the important relationship between police and private security.
“The relationship between police and private sector security is important in both our community policing philosophy, as well as our counter-terrorism strategy,” said BPD Superintendent Paul Fitzgerald.
“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.”
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