By admin 
GLENDALE, AZ — Glendale Police responded to Arrowhead Towne Center on Aug. 29 after a witness reported juveniles with a firearm inside a photo booth.
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Officers arrived at the mall and contacted one juvenile, who told police the two brothers who had the gun had already left. The juvenile then received a phone call from one of the brothers, who said they were at the arcade at Castles N’ Coasters. Officers went to that location and arrested both brothers. One was found carrying a firearm.
A search of the teen’s pockets revealed photo booth pictures, corroborating the witness’s account. The juvenile then told officers they would find additional items at his home. Officers drafted a search warrant and executed it at the teen’s residence, where they found a second gun, multiple THC products, and scales.
Glendale Police Public Information Officer Joseph Merced said one of the arrested juveniles was already on supervised probation and wearing an ankle monitor for a prior weapons and misconduct charge.
“At the point that officers have to get involved in this capacity, many times it’s already too late,” Merced said.
Merced also pointed to parental involvement as a key factor in preventing situations like this one.
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“The individuals, the friends that your kids are hanging out with have a direct impact on their life, and we’ve gotten away from character building and we’ve gotten away from a lot of these other things. These need to be the focus because many times these things in this situation can be avoided,” Merced said.
Glendale Police say this is not the first time this summer that teens have been found with guns at a public venue, pointing to a similar incident at Westgate in July.
Merced noted that off-duty officers work at Arrowhead Towne Center as an added layer of security, and that businesses at other locations also have the option to contract with officers for additional coverage.
Glendale Police say school resource officers are available to any student with questions about firearm safety. Parents with concerns are encouraged to reach out. Anyone with information about juveniles with weapons is urged to contact Glendale Police.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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