JACKSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio – An impasse with a 20-year-old armed robbery suspect ended peacefully after a Jackson Township Police Department officer negotiated with him to lower the gun, telling him, “You are too young, friend. . You are too young. “
Rashawn Harper, 20, of Tennessee, was arrested and fined in Stark County Jail on the following charges:
- Qualified theft, a first-degree crime
- Criminal attack, a second degree crime
- Carrying a hidden weapon, two charges, a fourth degree crime
- Disabled weapons, two counts, a third degree crime
- Aggravated threatening, first-degree misdemeanor
- Receiving stolen property (a firearm was stolen), a fourth degree crime
- Obstructing official business, a fifth degree crime
- Firearm unloading in or near prohibited facilities, a third degree crime
On Saturday, at approximately 3 pm, police responded to a store on Block 5000 of Fulton Drive for a report of an armed robbery.
As they responded, the officers discovered that a witness to the theft was following Harper, who was driving a vehicle with no visible license plates.
When Harper and the witness stopped at the intersection of Meadowview Drive and Everhard Road, Harper reportedly fired his weapon at the witness, hitting the front panel of the witness’s vehicle.
“He’s shooting at me! He has a gun!” said the 51-year-old woman, who relayed Harper’s location to the police.
Harper parked his vehicle at block 5400 on Blackthorne Avenue NW, where a resident later told police that someone was seen running across the yard towards an old golf course, the official said.
The officers located Harper on block 3600 on Wackerly Drive, where he was sitting on a swing with a gun.
In the filming of the body camera, one of the officers can be heard pleading with Harper to lower the gun.
“We can help you, man. We will not hurt you. I promise you that we will not hurt you. Drop it, “said an officer.
At one point in the video, the officer promised to call a therapist for Harper, who said he was off his medications.
“You throw that gun out of there. I kept mine and came to talk to you. I promise. We can help you. It is not the way, “said the official.
When Harper said his age, the officer continued to encourage him to lower his gun.
“Come on, man, you have to talk to me. Man, you’re 20 years old. You’re still so young. Come on, man, we don’t want to do that. Just put it on. [gun] down, friend. We don’t want to do that. You don’t want to do this. You are 20 years old, “said the official.
After minutes of negotiation, Harper dropped the gun and the officer who negotiated with him approached and cuffed him, continuing the dialogue.
“What’s up, man? Look at me. What’s going on?” Said the officer.
“I made terrible decisions,” said Harper.
“Why did you want to do that?” asked the officer.
“I didn’t want to do what I did,” said Harper, who was taken into custody. He remains in Stark County Prison.