By Jim Clark

Police were dispatched to a Derby St. residence last Thursday on reports of a possible altercation in progress. According to reports, a large group of teenagers were gathered outside of the residence and the reporting party was being taunted to come out of the house and fight.

Upon arrival, officers asked the reporting party, a juvenile, to explain what had happened. The reporting party told officers that he had an ongoing issue with one of the individuals involved in the incident. This suspect allegedly urged some female companions to try to lure the reporting party outside in order to fight with him.

The reporting party said that when he looked out the window he saw that the suspect was holding a knife, police said, and that he feared for his personal safety.

The reporting party further said that when the suspect saw the police coming he threw the knife he was carrying into the front yard area of the reporting party’s neighbor’s property. The suspect then allegedly opened the gate to the neighbor’s backyard area, allowing the neighbor’s dog to run into the street, and went into the yard to escape detection by the arriving officers.

Police reportedly found the weapon in the neighbor’s front yard, but a search of the rear of the residence yielded no results and it was determined that the suspect had gotten away.

The reporting party supplied police with the suspect’s address and they proceeded there, where they questioned the suspect’s mother about his whereabouts. Police was told that he was not there, according to reports.

A short time later the suspect was spotted outside of a nearby convenience store and was detained for questioning.

The suspect was reportedly uncooperative in answering the officer’s questions. He was placed under arrest and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and witness intimidation.