LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Joe Baeza,

 On Monday, November 29, 2010, at approximately 1:09 a.m. While conducting routine patrol duties an LPD Officer checking two vagrants behind the Gateway Shopping Center witnessed the rear door to a business swing open up and saw several people running out of the establishment screaming.  The officer then called dispatch of the ongoing event and asked for assistance. He took immediate action and went inside the business to investigate what was happening.  The officer discovered that an Aggravated Armed Robbery had just occurred.  According to witnesses 4 suspects entered the Entertainment World 8 Liner Business armed with what was originally reported as a handgun and an assault rifle while the assailants wore ski masks.  The assailants commanded everyone to the ground as they entered the business.  The suspects then entered the office and ransacked it while looking for money. The suspects continued they’re crime attack when they broke two screens of two slot machines in order to try to intimidate the employees into handing them the establishment’s money.  Unsuccessful the suspects then fled without stealing any money, but did take a cell phone belonging to a patron who claimed that a suspect pointed a handgun to his neck as he stole the phone.  As officers arrived to shopping center to assist with the call, they witnessed a van exiting the parking lot of the Gateway Shopping Center at 4500 San Bernardo traveling at a high rate of speed and proceeded to pull it over.  Officers caught up with the mini-van at the intersection of Convent and Ugarte.  There, a felony stop was conducted where officers ordered the passengers of the van out at gunpoint.  All 5 occupants, 4 adults and 1 juvenile, were detained.  After a search of the van officers found an AR-15 assault rifle and a semi automatic handgun, which were both found to be Air Guns, along with ski masks.  All four adult males were charged with Aggravated Robbery and Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity.  The juvenile, 15 yr. old male, was detained and charged with the same offenses.