Inset: The woman police say is Tamya Staten holding a gun on a Once Upon a Child employee (Marion County Court). Background: The store where the incident allegedly took place (Google Maps).
A 21-year-old Indiana mother is accused of pulling a handgun on employees at a children's store after they told her toddler not to play with a motorized toy, allegedly threatening them and saying, "We can fight about it. We can get down."
Authorities in Indianapolis charged Tamya Staten with one count of felony intimidation and one count of felony pointing a firearm at another person, court records show.
The charges against Staten were filed Monday, but the alleged confrontation took place July 16 at a Once Upon a Child store in the 1200 block of West 86th Street in Indianapolis.
Officers with the Indianapolis Metro Police Department responded to a call at the children's store after one of the employees triggered the silent holdup alarm, local NBC affiliate WTHR reported. Police arrived a short while later, but Staten had already left the area with her child, according to the report.
Store employees said Staten had come into the store with her toddler to sell clothing, according to a probable cause affidavit. While the transaction was underway, an employee saw the child playing on a small motorized car inside the store.
The employee told Staten that store policy prohibited children from playing with the toys. Staten initially said "OK," but allegedly continued allowing her child to play, the affidavit said.
After the employee reminded her of the policy, Staten became angry, local Fox affiliate WXIN reported.
The affidavit says Staten pulled a "large black handgun" from her purse and tucked it into her leggings. She then allegedly poked an employee in the face with her finger while threatening that she was ready to start shooting.
"We can fight about it. We can get down," Staten allegedly told the employee. "I can use this [gun]."
The employee told police Staten continued making threats before pulling the handgun from her leggings and pointing it at the employees, according to the affidavit.
Staten then allegedly encouraged her child to keep playing with the toy, even demonstrating how it worked.
Investigators later reviewed surveillance footage that allegedly captured the confrontation, including Staten pointing the gun at the store employee while a small child rode a motorized car behind her. After putting the gun back into her leggings, Staten is allegedly shown leaving the store and driving away in a 2011 Jeep Patriot.
Detectives identified Staten using the Jeep's license plate as well as the ID she provided to employees when she brought in the clothing, according to WXIN.
The employee Staten allegedly pulled the gun on also identified her from a police lineup, according to WTHR.
The warrant for Staten's arrest includes a no-bond hold until her initial hearing, records show. She had not been arrested as of Wednesday afternoon.
If convicted of both charges, she could face up to eight and a half years in state prison.
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