Monday, August 21, 2006

Teen cowboy terrorist

A 14-YEAR-OLD boy dressed as a cowboy and playing with a gun in the street sparked a massive police operation. With the UK on full terror alert, 15 police officers in nine squad cars, an armed response unit and police helicopter rushed to the scene.

Emergency calls said a man in his teens or early 20s was brandishing an automatic weapon and a handgun. The teenager had been playing in Brookmans Avenue, Brookmans Park, not far from where MP Grant Shapps lives, just after 9am on Friday.

The incident came as the country was on critical alert, with planes grounded and airports in chaos following the previous day's police terror raids. A Herts police spokeswoman said they had received more than one call, but were given conflicting information.

"We got a report of a man wearing a bulletproof vest, holding an automatic weapon and a handgun," she said."Our first concern was for community safety."

By the time police arrived the boy had gone home.Police cordoned the area off and were directed to an address.Eyewitnesses said the boy, his sister and mother came out.

The boy - dressed as a cowboy - was arrested on suspicion of having an imitation firearm and taken to Hatfield police station with his mother just after 10am.

A ball bearing gun was found at the address. He was released that afternoon with a reprimand.

2 comments:

yellowdoggranny said...

oh man..that is so sad..kid cant even play cowboys and indians...that is awful.....poor kid could have been killed...

dom said...

I know , sad innit , do people have no sense to distinguish between a kid playing and a lunatic with an Uzzi 9mm ?