Crime & Safety

Police: Smoke Shop Owner Shoved Boy on Street, Drawing Crowd

Middletown Police found a large group of people near a liquor store who said a 36-year-old city man had threatened them with a machete, but video footage revealed a different story.

On Aug. 21 at about 10 p.m., police were called to Smoke 911 at 608 Main Street where a large group of people were gathered after several 911 calls reporting someone at the scene had a knife, according to the report. 

Witnesses told officers Abdalhakim F. Mousa, 36, owner of the Main Street smoke shop, had pushed a boy off his bicycle and threatened people among the crowd with a large-bladed samurai sword and hand-held Taser. Mousa actively resisted arrest, the report says.

Viewing of video footage from the Forest City Wine and Liquor store on Sept 2 next door showed Mousa shoving the boy and being confronted by bystanders, entering and exiting the store but not threatening anyone with a machete. Video from inside the smoke shop showed Mousa entering and leaving the store but nothing taking place outside. 

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At 9:22 p.m., footage showed him grabbing a machete, walking toward the door then stopping 10 feet before it and putting the knife back behind the counter. 

Mousa was originally charged with interfering with an officer, breach of peace, threatening, second-degree reckless endangerment and carrying a deadly weapon; however after viewing the videotape, the report says, officers requested the two latter charges be dismissed.

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