Man Charged For Threatening To Shoot Up Movie Theater After Losing Money In Arcade Game

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Minneapolis man has been charged after police say he threatened to shoot up a Mounds View movie theater after losing his money in an arcade game last Friday.

Michael Deangelo Sanders, 30, is charged with one count of making threats of violence, court documents filed in Ramsey County show.

Police say officers were called to the New Vision Theater around 9:45 p.m. on a report of a man who was being aggressive and threatening to shoot up the theater.

Upon arrival, officers spoke to the manager who said that Sanders was upset that the arcade games had taken his money. The manager added that Sanders "blew up" after she told him that she could only give him $6 because the theater does not own the arcade.

According to the criminal complaint, Sanders then spoke to the assistant manager, saying that if he didn't get his money back he would "shoot this b---- up."

Police say Sanders appeared to be showing signs of mental illness, drug impairment or both. He told officers that he had put $20 into the machine and only got $2 worth of games to work. The 30-year-old then told police that "people who don't give people their money back should be shot," the complaint said.

Officers spoke to other witnesses who heard Sanders threaten to shoot the arcade up or have someone else "roll up and shoot the place up" if he didn't get his money back.

If convicted, Sanders could face up to 5 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.