A man from Indiana County was arrested during Indiana Borough’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and charged with terroristic threats and disorderly conduct.
Chase Joshua Mansfield, 18, was taken into custody in the 600 block of Philadelphia Street by Indiana Borough Police officers on Saturday after witnesses told police they heard Mansfield say he was going to “shoot up the parade,” according to a news release from police.
The parade began at 11 a.m. Roughly five minutes later, a witness notified an officer who was patrolling the parade route of a man making threats while walking past him.
A second unrelated witness also reported hearing a male say the same thing.
Police said there were several hundred spectators along the parade’s route at the time of the alleged threats.
Both witness reports were “near simultaneous and both described the male as wearing dark pants, a dark hooded jacket with the hood up, wearing a face mask,” according to a news release.
Police said one of the witnesses pointed Mansfield out as he was walking west along the north sidewalk of Philadelphia Street in the 600 block.
Indiana Borough Police officers detained Mansfield immediately. He was found not to be in possession of a weapon, police said.
“This incident exposes a danger that is possible at all large gatherings and public events. It also highlights the importance of community members immediately reporting suspicious people and activity to police. See something, say something. We are always safer working together,” Justin Schawl, Indiana Borough Police chief, said in a statement.
There was no threat to parade participants or spectators when he was taken into physical custody, police said.
Mansfield was taken to the Indiana County Jail and is awaiting arraignment.
Court documents did not have an attorney representing Mansfield listed on Sunday morning.