The 2015 Pokémon World Championships were nearly rocked by tragedy, after terror threats were made on social media ahead of the competition taking place.
The Boston Police Department were alerted to the risk of a violent attack, and apprehended 27-year old James Stumbo and 18-year old Kevin Norton as they attempted to enter the event.
My Fox Boston reports that while they weren’t arrested at the time, detectives obtained a search warrant for their vehicle in which they later discovered “a 12-gauge shotgun, an AR-15, several hundred rounds of ammunition and a hunting knife.”
Arrest warrants were then issued for Stumbo and Norton, charged with unlwaful possession of a firearm, unlawful posession of ammunition and other firearm relates offenses. They were both taken in to custody at their hotel in Saugus.
The Pokémon Company International shared a statement in response to the situation, in which they reiterated that the safety of attendees always remains a priority.
“Prior to the event this weekend, our community of players made us aware of a security issue,” the statement reads. “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 Pokémon Company International takes the safety of our fans seriously and will continue to ensure proper security measures are a priority.”
The 2015 Pokémon World Championships were held at the B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center between Friday 21st – Sunday 23rd August.
