Story highlights
Man posted pictures of officers on social media and threatened to kill them, authorities say
Event organizers are banning prop weapons for the remainder of the convention
Police arrested a man at Phoenix Comicon on Thursday after he made it into the event with four guns and a knife.
About noon, police received a tip about a man who had allegedly posted pictures on social media of Phoenix police officers and threatened to kill them, according to police spokeswoman Sgt. Mercedes Fortune.
The tipster provided police with the location of the suspect and his description.
When officers found the 30-year-old suspect at the Phoenix Convention Center and took him into custody, Fortune said, he was allegedly wearing body armor and carrying three handguns, a shotgun, additional ammunition and a knife.
“At this time, there is no evidence to cause investigators to believe this is anything more than an isolated incident,” Phoenix police said in a press release.
“We are extremely grateful to the Phoenix Police Department for their diligence in following security protocol and working quickly to apprehend the individual,” said convention director Matthew Solberg in a statement sent to CNN.
Comicon attendees often dress in costume with prop weapons, but it’s unclear whether the suspect was dressed up.
According to the Comicon website, police and the Phoenix Convention Center security were responsible for checking each prop weapon brought into the event. Prop guns were allowed, but each was required to have the tip of its barrel painted orange.
Police and convention organizers said they are tightening security in response to Thursday’s threat. Prop weapons will no longer be allowed at the convention, Fortune said, and delays are expected as security and police ramp up screening efforts at event entrances.