FARGO, N.D. – A homeless man accused of pointing a flare gun at a police officer inside a Downtown Fargo business has been arrested.
Around 10:00 PM on Tuesday, November 4 Fargo Police say staff at an unspecified business on the 100 block of Broadway North called 911 saying a man went into a bathroom with the weapon. Authorities say officers backed off when 35-year-old Samuel Platt pointed the weapon at an officer. Platt then barricaded himself in a stall.
Officers tried to talk with him and say Platt refused to put the flare gun down and surrender.
They shot pepper balls at the stall door, Platt got out and allegedly pointed the gun at officers. An officer then fired a pepper ball at him. Another fired a “less than lethal impact projectile” that struck Platt and he was taken into custody.
Authorities say the flare gun was loaded and Platt had other flares on him.
“The responding officers demonstrated excellent judgment, decision-making and problem-solving to resolve this incident without any significant injury to the general public, themselves or the suspect,” Chief Dave Zibolski said in a press release. “The officers’ use of force was justified and appropriate to the situation involving a potentially deadly weapon.”
Platt was taken to the hospital, was discharged and arrested on suspicion of terrorizing, preventing arrest, unlawful possession of a firearm, meth possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal trespass.
