When Pokemon Gets Violent: Police Arrest Two Pokémon Players After Apparent Gun Threats Against World Championships

Pikachu wasn’t the only one intent on violence at the latest Pokémon tournament. The Boston Police Department arrested two men who drove all the way from Iowa for the Pokémon World Championships in Boston.

The two men, 18-year-old Kevin Norton and 27-year-old James Stumbo, made threats over social media and were arrested on several firearm-related charges. Both Norton and Stumbo are listed as invitees in the “masters division” of the world championships of the Pokémon Trading Card Game on the official Pokémon Website.

At the Hynes Convention Center, which hosted the Championships, private security was aware of the threats and confronted the men when they attempted to gain entry on Thursday. Police then searched their car and found a 12 gauge shotgun, an AR-15 rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammo.

Stumbo had posted an image of the weapons sitting on a car on Facebook, writing, “Kevin Norton and I are ready for worlds Boston here we come!!!” Stumbo told police the posting was taken out of context. One Pokémon card game expert who has interviewed Stumbo (see one of the interviews below) in the past, Josh “Squeaky” Marking, claimed he’s “the type to be sarcastic and joke around.”