CHAPTER FIVE - HEADING FOR THE FINISH LINE
To this date I have only had to make physical contact with two people in my 11 years at the mall. In both cases I was assisting a police officer in making an arrest. One night in September 2013 I received a call from the manager of one of our clothing stores that a lady carrying a large number of shopping bags had stolen several children's jackets. I called our on site police officer and we both arrived on scene at the same time. The manager was standing in front of his store when we arrived. He pointed the lady out to us who was in the store next to his. She was looking at something on the far wall with her back to us.
I asked the manager if he wanted to confront her and he said that he did. I told him that we would be there to back him up if things went south. As we walked through the door she spotted us and immediately became defensive. She was loudly saying that she hadn't done anything and to leave her alone before we even got close to her. The manager told her that she had three of his jackets and he wanted them back. She denied that she had anything that belonged to him. The woman set her bags on the floor and every time the manager tried to look into the one that had the jackets in it she would quickly open and shut the bag.
This gave the police officer probable cause to check her bags. He asked to see them and she quickly walked toward the front door skirting past us. Out on the sidewalk the officer asked to check her bags again. She set them down and before she could react the store manager reached into one of her bags and grabbed the stolen jackets. The police officer then tried to place her under arrest and she immediately began to fight him. It was at night and during the struggle, both the officer, who was very large, and the woman ended up between two parked cars. It was a tight space and she was kicking him in the groin and everywhere else she could reach. The officer sounded very winded as he called for back-up on his radio. When she turned her back to me I grabbed her in a bear hug which trapped her arms against her sides. The officer was then able to get the his handcuffs on her as his back-up arrived. A booster bag was also confiscated which are made out of duct tape. The thief places a booster bag down into a regular shopping bag so the sensors wont sound when they leave the store with stolen merchandise. I later received a letter from Allied-Barton security services commending my actions in assisting the officer that night.
This gave the police officer probable cause to check her bags. He asked to see them and she quickly walked toward the front door skirting past us. Out on the sidewalk the officer asked to check her bags again. She set them down and before she could react the store manager reached into one of her bags and grabbed the stolen jackets. The police officer then tried to place her under arrest and she immediately began to fight him. It was at night and during the struggle, both the officer, who was very large, and the woman ended up between two parked cars. It was a tight space and she was kicking him in the groin and everywhere else she could reach. The officer sounded very winded as he called for back-up on his radio. When she turned her back to me I grabbed her in a bear hug which trapped her arms against her sides. The officer was then able to get the his handcuffs on her as his back-up arrived. A booster bag was also confiscated which are made out of duct tape. The thief places a booster bag down into a regular shopping bag so the sensors wont sound when they leave the store with stolen merchandise. I later received a letter from Allied-Barton security services commending my actions in assisting the officer that night.
On Saturday November 9, 2013 I got a call that a man was trying to start a fight with a customer at a calendar kiosk near center court. It was just after 4:00 PM. I was working with a male and female officer that afternoon. We had been looking for the man for about 15 minutes when I got a call from the female officer that she had spotted him on the east side of the mall while patrolling in the security vehicle. The mans name was Ryan Armstrong. He was a strapping six foot three inch muscular white male, who weighed 220 lbs. She told me to meet her near the Food Court and I jumped into the passenger side of the truck with her. As we neared the east entrance of Sears I saw people running out of the store. They were pointing to a man running toward the north end of the building telling us to cut him off. Our female officer identified him as the man she saw earlier and I told her to swing around behind him with the truck. Before we could get to him several large male Sears employees had him cornered. The man was very belligerent and getting up in their faces. I learned later that Armstrong had started a fight with a customer in Sears.
The security camera footage shows two elderly men and a woman walk into the foyer. The largest of the two men opens the door and holds it as the woman walks in. He continues to hold the door open for customers who are entering the store. A man, who appears to in his fifties or sixties, along with a woman, who I assume was his wife, walks into the foyer from the street. The man appears to be looking angrily behind him as if he is talking to someone just out of sight. He and the woman disappear inside of the store. Soon after this Armstrong enters the foyer and gets up in the face of the man holding the door. The smaller man may have said something to Armstrong because he then gets up in his face. About this time the man who had entered with his wife, and disappeared out of the view of the camera, reappears just inside the door. He is holding his cell phone out in front of him as if he is calling the police. Armstrong slaps the phone out of his hand and the man knocks Armstrong backwards with a vicious blow to the chin. The man then jumps on top of Armstrong and they grapple in the corner of the foyer. For the most part the man seems to be getting the best of Armstrong until he knocks the man down and runs out of the door heading north.. This was the point that we spotted people running out of the store as we drove by in the security vehicle looking for Armstrong.
When we caught up with him he appeared to be high on something. After exiting the truck I pulled out the security phone and called 911. While I was talking to the operator he was getting up in my face telling me that he was going to kill me and my family. " Then, he walked walk over to everyone there telling them the same thing. To that point he had done nothing physical to any of us. It was all verbal and everyone was showing great restraint. Our female officer was an attractive lady and she was trying to talk him down. Every time he talked to her his whole demeanor would change and he would tell her how pretty she was and that he liked her. The operator asked me to describe him and I told her that he was young, muscular and about 6'3". As I began describing his shirt and pants he ripped off his shirt and took off running toward the Food Court. By this time our other male officer had joined us. I told him to come with me and I told the female officer to get back into the truck. We ran toward the Food Court while she parked the truck and headed back into the mall. On the way in she ran into our off duty police officer who was just coming on duty and told him what was going on.
When she and the police officer entered the Food Court someone told them that the man had ran into a corridor just behind the Food Court restaurants. The police officer, with the female officer trailing cautiously behind, entered the corridor with his gun drawn. She called us on the radio and let us know what was happening. The male officer and I headed for the opposite end of the corridor. In the meantime the police officer was easing through the corridor when the man jumped out of hiding. He ran toward the MPD officer screaming "shoot me bitch, shoot me". The female officer called 911 and let the dispatcher know where the man was and what was going on. The police back-up was having trouble finding our location. At first they responded to the restaurants across the parking lot from us. About this time, the male officer and myself entered the corridor entrance behind the man which diverted his attention from the police officer to us. He took off running toward me and I went into a defensive posture telling him that he had better back-off.
At the last moment he turned from me and pushed the male officer standing beside me. This was the first actual physical contact that the man had made with any of us to that point. They began fighting and the police officer grabbed the man from behind. My partner and the police officer fell over against the wall and I saw an opportunity to trip the man up by placing my leg in front of his leg and at the same moment pushing hard on the back of his neck causing him to lose his balance. All four of us tumbled to the ground. The female officer ran outside and flagged the police down. When I looked up I saw several police officers running towards us. I jumped up so they could cuff him and it took about four police officers to get that accomplished. Everyone worked as a team and handled this situation very well under pressure. I was very proud of all involved. It took me about 3 hours to come down off of my adrenaline high. The man was taken to jail and would have to be placed in a restraint chair when he was first arrested. Sadly, our off duty police officer who was working with us that day, would later be forced to retire from the police department, for selling police body armor out of his trunk while on duty that he had stolen from the police department. He was a nice guy and performed very well for us during this incident.
The security camera footage shows two elderly men and a woman walk into the foyer. The largest of the two men opens the door and holds it as the woman walks in. He continues to hold the door open for customers who are entering the store. A man, who appears to in his fifties or sixties, along with a woman, who I assume was his wife, walks into the foyer from the street. The man appears to be looking angrily behind him as if he is talking to someone just out of sight. He and the woman disappear inside of the store. Soon after this Armstrong enters the foyer and gets up in the face of the man holding the door. The smaller man may have said something to Armstrong because he then gets up in his face. About this time the man who had entered with his wife, and disappeared out of the view of the camera, reappears just inside the door. He is holding his cell phone out in front of him as if he is calling the police. Armstrong slaps the phone out of his hand and the man knocks Armstrong backwards with a vicious blow to the chin. The man then jumps on top of Armstrong and they grapple in the corner of the foyer. For the most part the man seems to be getting the best of Armstrong until he knocks the man down and runs out of the door heading north.. This was the point that we spotted people running out of the store as we drove by in the security vehicle looking for Armstrong.
When we caught up with him he appeared to be high on something. After exiting the truck I pulled out the security phone and called 911. While I was talking to the operator he was getting up in my face telling me that he was going to kill me and my family. " Then, he walked walk over to everyone there telling them the same thing. To that point he had done nothing physical to any of us. It was all verbal and everyone was showing great restraint. Our female officer was an attractive lady and she was trying to talk him down. Every time he talked to her his whole demeanor would change and he would tell her how pretty she was and that he liked her. The operator asked me to describe him and I told her that he was young, muscular and about 6'3". As I began describing his shirt and pants he ripped off his shirt and took off running toward the Food Court. By this time our other male officer had joined us. I told him to come with me and I told the female officer to get back into the truck. We ran toward the Food Court while she parked the truck and headed back into the mall. On the way in she ran into our off duty police officer who was just coming on duty and told him what was going on.
When she and the police officer entered the Food Court someone told them that the man had ran into a corridor just behind the Food Court restaurants. The police officer, with the female officer trailing cautiously behind, entered the corridor with his gun drawn. She called us on the radio and let us know what was happening. The male officer and I headed for the opposite end of the corridor. In the meantime the police officer was easing through the corridor when the man jumped out of hiding. He ran toward the MPD officer screaming "shoot me bitch, shoot me". The female officer called 911 and let the dispatcher know where the man was and what was going on. The police back-up was having trouble finding our location. At first they responded to the restaurants across the parking lot from us. About this time, the male officer and myself entered the corridor entrance behind the man which diverted his attention from the police officer to us. He took off running toward me and I went into a defensive posture telling him that he had better back-off.
At the last moment he turned from me and pushed the male officer standing beside me. This was the first actual physical contact that the man had made with any of us to that point. They began fighting and the police officer grabbed the man from behind. My partner and the police officer fell over against the wall and I saw an opportunity to trip the man up by placing my leg in front of his leg and at the same moment pushing hard on the back of his neck causing him to lose his balance. All four of us tumbled to the ground. The female officer ran outside and flagged the police down. When I looked up I saw several police officers running towards us. I jumped up so they could cuff him and it took about four police officers to get that accomplished. Everyone worked as a team and handled this situation very well under pressure. I was very proud of all involved. It took me about 3 hours to come down off of my adrenaline high. The man was taken to jail and would have to be placed in a restraint chair when he was first arrested. Sadly, our off duty police officer who was working with us that day, would later be forced to retire from the police department, for selling police body armor out of his trunk while on duty that he had stolen from the police department. He was a nice guy and performed very well for us during this incident.
On Saturday November 9, 2013 I got a call that a man was trying to start a fight with a customer at a calendar kiosk near center court. It was just after 4:00 PM. I was working with a male and female officer that afternoon. We had been looking for the man for about 15 minutes when I got a call from the female officer that she had spotted him on the east side of the mall while patrolling in the security vehicle. The mans name was Ryan Armstrong. He was a strapping six foot three inch muscular white male, who weighed 220 lbs. She told me to meet her near the Food Court and I jumped into the passenger side of the truck with her. As we neared the east entrance of Sears I saw people running out of the store. They were pointing to a man running toward the north end of the building telling us to cut him off. Our female officer identified him as the man she saw earlier and I told her to swing around behind him with the truck. Before we could get to him several large male Sears employees had him cornered. The man was very belligerent and getting up in their faces. I learned later that Armstrong had started a fight with a customer in Sears.
The security camera footage shows two elderly men and a woman walk into the foyer. The largest of the two men opens the door and holds it as the woman walks in. He continues to hold the door open for customers who are entering the store. A man, who appears to in his fifties or sixties, along with a woman, who I assume was his wife, walks into the foyer from the street. The man appears to be looking angrily behind him as if he is talking to someone just out of sight. He and the woman disappear inside of the store. Soon after this Armstrong enters the foyer and gets up in the face of the man holding the door. The smaller man may have said something to Armstrong because he then gets up in his face. About this time the man who had entered with his wife, and disappeared out of the view of the camera, reappears just inside the door. He is holding his cell phone out in front of him as if he is calling the police. Armstrong slaps the phone out of his hand and the man knocks Armstrong backwards with a vicious blow to the chin. The man then jumps on top of Armstrong and they grapple in the corner of the foyer. For the most part the man seems to be getting the best of Armstrong until he knocks the man down and runs out of the door heading north.. This was the point that we spotted people running out of the store as we drove by in the security vehicle looking for Armstrong.
When we caught up with him he appeared to be high on something. After exiting the truck I pulled out the security phone and called 911. While I was talking to the operator he was getting up in my face telling me that he was going to kill me and my family. " Then, he walked walk over to everyone there telling them the same thing. To that point he had done nothing physical to any of us. It was all verbal and everyone was showing great restraint. Our female officer was an attractive lady and she was trying to talk him down. Every time he talked to her his whole demeanor would change and he would tell her how pretty she was and that he liked her. The operator asked me to describe him and I told her that he was young, muscular and about 6'3". As I began describing his shirt and pants he ripped off his shirt and took off running toward the Food Court. By this time our other male officer had joined us. I told him to come with me and I told the female officer to get back into the truck. We ran toward the Food Court while she parked the truck and headed back into the mall. On the way in she ran into our off duty police officer who was just coming on duty and told him what was going on.
When she and the police officer entered the Food Court someone told them that the man had ran into a corridor just behind the Food Court restaurants. The police officer, with the female officer trailing cautiously behind, entered the corridor with his gun drawn. She called us on the radio and let us know what was happening. The male officer and I headed for the opposite end of the corridor. In the meantime the police officer was easing through the corridor when the man jumped out of hiding. He ran toward the MPD officer screaming "shoot me bitch, shoot me". The female officer called 911 and let the dispatcher know where the man was and what was going on. The police back-up was having trouble finding our location. At first they responded to the restaurants across the parking lot from us. About this time, the male officer and myself entered the corridor entrance behind the man which diverted his attention from the police officer to us. He took off running toward me and I went into a defensive posture telling him that he had better back-off.
At the last moment he turned from me and pushed the male officer standing beside me. This was the first actual physical contact that the man had made with any of us to that point. They began fighting and the police officer grabbed the man from behind. My partner and the police officer fell over against the wall and I saw an opportunity to trip the man up by placing my leg in front of his leg and at the same moment pushing hard on the back of his neck causing him to lose his balance. All four of us tumbled to the ground. The female officer ran outside and flagged the police down. When I looked up I saw several police officers running towards us. I jumped up so they could cuff him and it took about four police officers to get that accomplished. Everyone worked as a team and handled this situation very well under pressure. I was very proud of all involved. It took me about 3 hours to come down off of my adrenaline high. The man was taken to jail and would have to be placed in a restraint chair when he was first arrested. Sadly, our off duty police officer who was working with us that day, would later be forced to retire from the police department, for selling police body armor out of his trunk while on duty that he had stolen from the police department. He was a nice guy and performed very well for us during this incident.
The security camera footage shows two elderly men and a woman walk into the foyer. The largest of the two men opens the door and holds it as the woman walks in. He continues to hold the door open for customers who are entering the store. A man, who appears to in his fifties or sixties, along with a woman, who I assume was his wife, walks into the foyer from the street. The man appears to be looking angrily behind him as if he is talking to someone just out of sight. He and the woman disappear inside of the store. Soon after this Armstrong enters the foyer and gets up in the face of the man holding the door. The smaller man may have said something to Armstrong because he then gets up in his face. About this time the man who had entered with his wife, and disappeared out of the view of the camera, reappears just inside the door. He is holding his cell phone out in front of him as if he is calling the police. Armstrong slaps the phone out of his hand and the man knocks Armstrong backwards with a vicious blow to the chin. The man then jumps on top of Armstrong and they grapple in the corner of the foyer. For the most part the man seems to be getting the best of Armstrong until he knocks the man down and runs out of the door heading north.. This was the point that we spotted people running out of the store as we drove by in the security vehicle looking for Armstrong.
When we caught up with him he appeared to be high on something. After exiting the truck I pulled out the security phone and called 911. While I was talking to the operator he was getting up in my face telling me that he was going to kill me and my family. " Then, he walked walk over to everyone there telling them the same thing. To that point he had done nothing physical to any of us. It was all verbal and everyone was showing great restraint. Our female officer was an attractive lady and she was trying to talk him down. Every time he talked to her his whole demeanor would change and he would tell her how pretty she was and that he liked her. The operator asked me to describe him and I told her that he was young, muscular and about 6'3". As I began describing his shirt and pants he ripped off his shirt and took off running toward the Food Court. By this time our other male officer had joined us. I told him to come with me and I told the female officer to get back into the truck. We ran toward the Food Court while she parked the truck and headed back into the mall. On the way in she ran into our off duty police officer who was just coming on duty and told him what was going on.
When she and the police officer entered the Food Court someone told them that the man had ran into a corridor just behind the Food Court restaurants. The police officer, with the female officer trailing cautiously behind, entered the corridor with his gun drawn. She called us on the radio and let us know what was happening. The male officer and I headed for the opposite end of the corridor. In the meantime the police officer was easing through the corridor when the man jumped out of hiding. He ran toward the MPD officer screaming "shoot me bitch, shoot me". The female officer called 911 and let the dispatcher know where the man was and what was going on. The police back-up was having trouble finding our location. At first they responded to the restaurants across the parking lot from us. About this time, the male officer and myself entered the corridor entrance behind the man which diverted his attention from the police officer to us. He took off running toward me and I went into a defensive posture telling him that he had better back-off.
At the last moment he turned from me and pushed the male officer standing beside me. This was the first actual physical contact that the man had made with any of us to that point. They began fighting and the police officer grabbed the man from behind. My partner and the police officer fell over against the wall and I saw an opportunity to trip the man up by placing my leg in front of his leg and at the same moment pushing hard on the back of his neck causing him to lose his balance. All four of us tumbled to the ground. The female officer ran outside and flagged the police down. When I looked up I saw several police officers running towards us. I jumped up so they could cuff him and it took about four police officers to get that accomplished. Everyone worked as a team and handled this situation very well under pressure. I was very proud of all involved. It took me about 3 hours to come down off of my adrenaline high. The man was taken to jail and would have to be placed in a restraint chair when he was first arrested. Sadly, our off duty police officer who was working with us that day, would later be forced to retire from the police department, for selling police body armor out of his trunk while on duty that he had stolen from the police department. He was a nice guy and performed very well for us during this incident.
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