CHILLICOTHE, OH — A 16-year-old male was detained Thursday night after reportedly flashing a concealed firearm inside raising canes on North Bridge Street, prompting a swift response from Chillicothe Police.
Officers were dispatched to the restaurant around 10:59 p.m. after a report of a masked male displaying a weapon. Upon arrival, officers located the teen, who was wearing a red sweatshirt, seated at a table. He was immediately detained, and officers recovered a loaded 9mm Taurus semi-automatic handgun from his waistband.
A restaurant manager told officers she had been outside when a group of individuals in a passing vehicle warned her about the armed teen heading into the restaurant. The manager contacted police and later requested that the teen and two other juveniles accompanying him be barred from the property.
The investigation revealed that the 16-year-old had been in possession of the firearm for approximately two years. He admitted to stealing the gun from an unlocked vehicle parked on Second Street while staying with a family member. The firearm had been hidden at his mother’s home before being moved to his father’s house a few weeks ago.
Earlier that evening, the teen and a friend reportedly fired the weapon into a creek near a location commonly known as Crybaby Tunnel off Schrader Road, discharging it five times.
One of the teen’s companions, a 14-year-old boy, also admitted to seeing and handling the firearm, although he gave inconsistent accounts during police questioning.
The firearm was not listed as stolen in the police database. The teen was released to his father, but police say charges related to the stolen firearm may still be filed. The weapon was secured into evidence, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Authorities are continuing efforts to locate the original owner of the firearm.
