AndrewBlakePhiladelphia, PA – The Philadelphia Police Department arrested a 12-year-old boy who was walking down the street carrying a loaded AR-15 rifle on Saturday night.
The incident began when 19-year-old Michael Mitchell took his mother’s handgun out of her locked safe to go confront a neighbor on April 7, KYW-TV reported.
During the altercation that ensued, Mitchell told his 12-year-old brother to “go get my gun,” according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
His little brother returned carrying Mitchell’s loaded AR-15 rifle.
Neighbors who saw the boy walking down the street with the gun called police, KYW reported.
Philadelphia Police Officer Krzysztof Wrzesinski responded to the scene, but by the time he arrived moments later, both weapons had been put into a vehicle.
The officer opened the back door of the car, and Mitchell tried reaching for the AR-15.
“I opened up the back door of the black Ford Taurus and he reached for the AR,” Officer Wrzesinski said. “That’s when I yelled at him to ‘stop’ and he immediately stopped and complied.”
Neighbor Patrick Doyle captured footage of the incident on his home’s security cameras. He told KYW that he was glad the officer had used restraint.
“He handled the situation well,” Doyle complimented the officer.
Officer Wrzesinski said he was somewhat shocked by the experience, and it was the first time something like that had happened to him.
“After the fact, when I go home and sit down, the adrenaline goes down. I didn’t really think what to do, it’s just what we’re trained to do. It was the first time that happened to me on the job, which is a little bit of a shocker,” Officer Wrzesinski told KYW.
The Philadelphia police posted a picture of the guns confiscated on Twitter.
Both boys have been charged with aggravated assault, KYW reported. The 19 year old has also been charged with illegal possession of the handgun he took from his mother’s safe.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Mitchell also faced charges of terroristic threatening, reckless endangerment, and corruption of a minor.
Police told KYW that 19-year-old Mitchell was the legal owner of the AR-15.