Guess What Charges Teens Displaying Guns in West Des Moines Didn’t Face

More than a dozen law officers — including 13 West Des Moines Police officers —responded to Valley West Mall with their weapons drawn last Wednesday afternoon, only to find that no crime had been committed.

The incident occurred about 3 p.m. when a mall security officer reported to Westcom Dispatch that five male juveniles were displaying what appeared to be handguns as they walked through the mall parking lot. Also responding were three Clive police officers and an Iowa State Patrol trooper.

West Des Moines Police Officer D.J. Frunzar wrote in his report that the guns “resembled real handguns when viewed from a distance.”

However, after the youths were detained, Assistant Polk County Attorney Brett Lucas told Frunzar that displaying the BB guns was not against the law and the juveniles were released.

The teens, who ranged in age from 13 to 16, told police they were carrying the guns because another group was “after them.” One of them claimed to be a member of a street gang he called “Infamous,” but Frunzar said it’s unknown whether the others have gang affiliations.

Police were called to the mall after a grounds crew employee reported seeing the group five feet away “brandishing what she thought were handguns,” according to the police report.

The witness said the guns were never pointed at any individual and the juveniles were instead instead pointing them in the air and at objects in the parking lot. She said she never felt threatened, but saw one of the boys push a black object, later determined to be BB ammunition, into the gun.