JACKSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio – A stalemate with a 20-year-old armed robbery suspect ended peacefully after a Jackson Township police officer negotiated with him to put down his gun and at one point told him, ” young, mate. You’re too young. “
Rashawn Harper, 20, from Tennessee, was arrested and taken to Stark County Jail on the following charges:
- Serious robbery, a felony in the first degree
- Criminal assault, second degree crime
- With a hidden weapon, two counts, fourth degree felony
- Weapons with a disability, two counts, a third degree offense
- Aggravated threatening, first degree felony
- Receiving stolen property (one firearm was stolen), a fourth degree felony
- Obstructing official business, a fifth degree crime
- Dropping a firearm in or near restricted areas is a third degree offense
On Saturday, at approximately 3:00 p.m., agents responded to a store in block 5000 of Fulton Drive for a report of armed robbery.
As officers responded, they learned that a witness to the robbery had tracked Harper driving a vehicle with no visible number plates.
When Harper and the witness came to rest at the intersection of Meadowview Drive and Everhard Road, Harper reportedly fired his gun at the witness, hitting the front corner panel of the witness’s vehicle.
‘He’s shooting me! He’s got a gun! ‘ said the 51-year-old woman, who reported Harper’s location to police.
Harper parked his vehicle in the 5400 block of Blackthorne Avenue NW, where a resident later told police that someone was running through the backyard to an old golf course, the officer said.
Agents found Harper in block 3600 of Wackerly Drive, where he was sitting on a swing with a rifle.
CCTV footage of the body shows one of the responding agents begging Harper to put down the gun.
“We can help you, dude. We’re not going to hurt you. I promise we won’t hurt you. Put it down, ”said an officer.
At one point in the video, the officer promised to get a therapist for Harper, who said he had lost his medications.
“You’re throwing that gun out there. I’ll put mine away, and I’ll come and talk to you. I promise you. We can help you. It’s not the way, ”said the officer.
When Harper said his age, the officer continued to encourage him to put down the gun.
“Come on, buddy, you need to talk to me. Dude, you’re 20. You’re so young. Let’s go dude, we don’t wanna do this. [gun] down button. We don’t want to do it. You don’t want to do it. You’re twenty, ”said the officer.
After minutes of negotiating, Harper put down his gun and the officer negotiating with him walked up to him, handcuffing him to continue the dialogue.
“What’s the matter dude? Look at me. What’s going on?” Said the officer.
“I’ve made terrible decisions,” said Harper.
“Why did you want to do this?” asked the officer.
“I didn’t want to do what I was doing,” said Harper, who was taken into custody. He stays in the Stark County Jail.