Boston Police Foil Potential Massacre at Pokemon World Championship

Two men drove from Iowa to Massachusetts with a trunk full of ammo and guns, boasting about "killing the competition" on Facebook.
BOSTON — Police said Sunday they thwarted what could have been a massacre at the Pokemon World Championship held here this weekend.
Boston police arrested James Austin Stumbo, 27, and Kevin Norton, 18, on Saturday “because of threats of violence made over social media.” When police searched Stumbo and Norton’s vehicle parked in a garage several blocks from the Pokemon event, they found found a shotgun, AR-15 assault rifle, a hunting rifle, and 250 rounds of ammunition.
Stumbo and Norton are charged with several firearm charges including unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.
“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.
Stumbo wasn’t shy about his arsenal or his alleged target. Stumbo posted a photo of the car and guns in a Facebook group entitled “Mayhem Pokemon Crew.” The caption read:
“Kevin Norton and I are ready for Worlds Boston here we come!!!”
“Good luck!” wrote a Facebook user named Joey Faux.
“With killing the competition?” asked Norton.
“Haha yes,” replied Faux.
Facebook
Stumbo and Norton were both invited to play in the U.S. masters division in Boston this weekend, according to the Pokemon World Championship website.
On Thursday, security at the Hynes Convention Center where the Pokemon championship was being held detained Stumbo when he tried to enter. (It’s unclear why.) While security was escorting Stumbo out of the building, they noticed Norton trying to enter, according to the police report. Stumbo and Norton were both slapped with a “No Trespass Order.”

Hynes Convention security called the Boston Police Department, which radioed two officers to look into Norton and Stumbo. The “officers were informed” of Stumbo’s post on Facebook, according to the police report. When Stumbo was questioned, he claimed the post was taken out of context. However, Norton told police where their car was parked and that it had weapons inside. Norton said the shotgun was his but the AR-15 was Stumbo’s. Neither man produced a permit to carry firearms.
Police obtained a warrant on Friday and on Saturday, the two were arrested at a motel in nearby Saugus, Massachusetts with assistance from the Saugus police. On Monday, the two men will be arraigned at Boston Municipal Court.

"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."

The 12th Pokemon World Championship hosted hundreds of players from 30 different countries and thousands more spectators. Winners are given thousands of dollars’ worth of prizes, and $2 million worth of scholarships are donated.

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Words fail me!

image of weapon recovered