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Tempe Police: Man threatens gas station customers with Rambo knife


Tempe Police reported the following incidents Wednesday:

A 34-year-old Tempe man was arrested Sept. 24 on the 400 block of East Carson Street on suspicion of intimidation, disorderly conduct, tampering with evidence, criminal damage and drug paraphernalia possession, according to a police report.

Two gas station customers called officers to report that a man had followed them in the parking lot, police reported.

The customers told officers that the man had tried to argue with them and cursed at them, according to the report. They also told officers that the man pulled a large "Rambo" knife out and threatened them when they tried to get in their car, police reported.

The man fled on a bike before officers arrived at the scene, according to the report.

An investigation showed that the man had called police before he threated the two customers, saying he was being followed by two men, who matched the descriptions of the customers, police reported.

Officers located the man and transported him to Tempe City Jail, police reported.

While they were driving to the jail, the man attempted to destroy a glass meth pipe he had hidden in his underwear, according to the report.

The man was injured, and he was taken to the hospital to care for his injuries, police reported.

After he received medical attention, the man told officers that he was only trying to communicate with the gas station customers and only threatened them with a can of pepper spray, according to the report.

The man was transported to Tempe City Jail, where he was booked and held to a see a judge, police reported.

A 25-year-old Tempe man was arrested Sept. 26 on suspicion of having two outstanding warrants, drug paraphernalia possession, shoplifting and narcotic drug possession, according to a police report.

The man entered a Wal-Mart, where he put five pairs of shorts over his shoulder and walked out without attempting to pay for them, police reported.

Loss prevention officers contacted him and called the police, police reported.

The man told officers that he had done this 25 times before, according to the report.

Officers searched the man’s backpack and found a small white pill, which was identified as an opioid, police reported.

The man told officers that he didn’t know someone had placed that pill in his bag, according to the report.

The man was transported to Tempe City Jail, where he was booked and held to see a judge, police reported.

Reports compiled by Shelby Slade.

Reach the news editor at sgslade@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @shelbygslade


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