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The suburban newspaper's headline is stark -- "Masked, armed men arrested after walking into Dearborn police station" -- and the YouTube video (below) taken by one of those arrested is chilling.
The first minute of the recording, taped with a body-mounted GoPro camera, shows two officers draw weapons and threaten to shoot two men who enter their Michigan Avenue station with face masks, sidearms and semiautomatic rifles.
The heavily armed men taped themselves entering the Michigan Avenue police station Sunday.
Andrea Blum of the Dearborn Press and Guide recounts the drama:
The men were visiting the police station to file a complaint about a traffic stop, and decided to walk in with guns and their faces covered with ski masks.
“We’re going to go in and file a complaint because we were illegally pulled over about an hour ago,” one of the men said on video. . . . As soon as they entered the building, the men were met by two officers with weapons drawn, ordering them to put the guns on the ground.
“I will put a round in you, sir,” one of the officers said. “What the hell’s the matter with you?” . . .
They eventually complied with police orders to put down their weapons and put their hands over their heads.
The unnamed pair are Michigan open-carry activists, described by the paper as a 24-year-old from Leonard and a 40-year-old from Jackson. "Both men posted $1,500 bond and were released pending future court appearances," writes Blum, adding:
Officers seized a loaded AP-14 firearm, rifle magazine containing 47 rounds; a loaded Glock 19 handgun with four additional magazines containing 66 rounds; body armor and ballistic vests; a mask, gun belt and several pieces of camera equipment; an AR-15 rifle and an AK-47 style rifle.
Police didn't disclose the charges files. Here's what Police Chief Ronald Haddad tells the local paper:
“I find this behavior totally unacceptable and irresponsible. This is not a Second Amendment issue for me. We had members of the public in our lobby that fled in fear for their safety as these men entered our building.
“I want to express my appreciation for the many calls of support we’ve received from the community, including a call from the president of Michigan Open Carry, Inc., who made it clear that he and his organization stand with law enforcement and unequivocally condemn the actions that took place in our lobby this past Sunday.”
The two officers' response also earns online praise. These are among five dozen comments at a Detroit forum on Reddit:
- "I love the restraint shown by the cops. They were surprised by two masked dudes wearing body armor and sporting rifles INSIDE THEIR STATION and, despite a tense situation, didn't end up having to use force."
- "These idiots are lucky to be alive. . . . Cops are going to be on edge anytime a civilian has a gun let alone one that can be fired with in 2 seconds. Looked like an ambush to me."
The video exceeds three minutes, but has only audio after the first 54 seconds.
