The massive success of the free app Pokémon Go has resulted in a multitude of bizarre and scary incidents happening to unsuspecting players walking the streets looking for Pokémon to catch. From finding dead bodies to being lured into gun-point robberies , Pokémon Go players face some unexpected risks while on the hunt. But an attempted mugging of Pokémon Go players in Las Vegas this week had a surprise ending when the robber discovered these particular Pokémon trainers were also carrying a firearm.
According to the Review Journal , the attempted robbery took place at 4 a.m. at Gary Reese Freedom Park, which is just a few miles northeast of downtown Vegas. The park is a popular spot for Pokémon Go players, and this night was no exception. Six players were searching the park for rare Pokémon when a man rolled up in a vehicle and drew a gun on them. He demanded their money and belongings. What he didn’t expect was for one of the Pokémon Go players to pull out a gun of his own.
The armed suspect was shot by the young gamer, but he also managed to fire back. One of the victims playing Pokémon Go was reportedly shot in the stomach, but neither the robber nor the player sustained life-threatening injuries.
The Las Vegas Sun reported that the robbery resulted in a full-on shootout , with both sides exchanging fire. It’s unclear if the Pokémon Go player who got shot is also the one who drew the gun to begin with. He was treated at University Medical Center.
Authorities claim the vehicle was driven by a second person who was involved in the robbery, an underage individual who was illegally operating an SUV. Both the suspected shooter and the driver were apprehended by police and will likely face charges for the attempted armed robbery.
Metro Lt. David Gordon reported that they found both suspects after somebody dropped off the shooter at the same medical center as his victim. The suspect was suffering from a gunshot wound consistent with the Pokémon Go shootout.
According to Metro police spokeswoman Laura Meltzer, the Pokémon Go player who drew his gun had a concealed carry permit for the weapon, so he will most likely not face any criminal charges. But detectives are still investigating the incident.
Pokémon Go is a phone app that utilizes GPS, data analysis, and augmented reality technology to distribute thousands of pocket monsters across a real-world map. This requires players to physically walk around neighborhoods and catch Pokémon using their smartphone cameras. Pokémon Go is still in the beta phase and is facing many technical difficulties, but that hasn’t stopped hundreds of thousands from downloading the app.
Pokémon Go players on Facebook claim that the site of the Las Vegas shootout is an especially great hot-spot for hunting Magikarp, a Pokémon that is fairly useless on its own, but can be evolved into the very powerful Gyarados.
Though certain rare Pokémon may be tempting for players, wandering around in public at 4 a.m. is never a good idea. A handful of Pokémon Go players from St. Louis weren’t as well-prepared as the Vegas gamers, having been robbed by four armed teenagers who set up a beacon and staked out a Pokéstop to lure in victims.
Another group of Pokémon Go players were shot while hunting Pokémon in Toronto , and yet another set of gamers were shot in Florida while seeking a Pikachu and a Charizard.
Have you played Pokémon Go ? Has it caused you to run into any trouble? Leave a comment below.
[Photos by Mike Coppola/Getty Images]
