Teenager charged with pulling gun on Walmart employee

Jul. 4—The 16-year-old boy arrested last week for pulling a gun out on a Walmart employee after he was reportedly approached while trying to shoplift was charged in Freeborn County District Court on Monday.

In Minnesota, when youth are 16 years old and charged with felonies, information about the case, including the name of the individual charged, becomes public.

Ta Ka Paw faces one count of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon; one count of possessing ammunition, a pistol or assault weapon while under 18; and one count of dangerous weapons-intentionally pointing a gun.

Court documents state Paw was with a group of three other males Thursday night at the store when the incident occurred.

A loss prevention employee told police he had observed the males taking items, pulling off price tags and placing the tags in a grocery bag. Another employee began to follow the group, and the first employee waited by the grocery side exit at the store for them to pass the point of sale.

Paw reportedly walked past that point with two items in a grocery bag without paying for them, and the loss prevention employee tried to confront him and asked him to go to the loss prevention office. Paw then reportedly dropped one of the items on the ground, and the employee grabbed the bag with the other item from him. Paw reportedly took a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at the employee about five feet away.

The loss prevention employee told police he believed the gun was real and was scared, and went into the loss prevention office and slammed the door shut. Other employees and customers were also in the area when the incident occurred.

According to court documents, when police reviewed video footage from the altercation, they saw the juvenile holding a grocery bag in his right hand and hanging it over his right shoulder. As he got closer to the loss prevention employee, the employee got in front of him and stopped him, pointing to the loss prevention office. At one point the employee grabbed the grocery bag from the teenager, and Paw turned away from the store with his back to the employee, took a few steps back in the store and then turned around and pulled a firearm out of his waistband. He was seen holding the gun in his right hand and pointing it at the employee.

The employee put his hand up and walked past Paw and into the office, but as he passed him, Paw can be seen grabbing the slide on the handgun with his left hand. He reportedly pointed the gun again at the employee, holding the gun with both hands.

The slide on the handgun appeared to be locked back.

Paw ultimately fled the store and could be seen in the video running to a vehicle in the west side of the parking lot and getting in the backseat.

An Albert Lea school resource officer identified the teenager from screenshots in the video.

Early Friday night, authorities executed a search warrant at his house, but he was not there.

He was ultimately arrested Friday afternoon near the intersection of Frank Avenue and Fifth Street.

During the search at his house, police found a partial box of .380 ammunition in the juvenile's sleeping area and saw white sandals that matched what was seen on the video from the store.

Assistant Freeborn County Attorney Erin O'Brien said Paw is being held in a juvenile detention facility.

A second person, Saw John, 19, was also charged in connection with the case on Monday.

He faces one count of aiding and abetting second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and is being held on $200,000 unconditional bail or $20,000 conditional bail.

According to court documents, John reportedly drove the car that Paw fled in.

In an interview with an officer John admitted to bringing his friends to Walmart and admitted driving when they left the store. He said he dropped off Paw at the Yamato store on East Main Street in Albert Lea.

He is next slated to appear in court July 17.