The biggest event of the year for the Maryland Washington Minority Companies Association ended with a man taken into custody for causing a scare with a toy gun.
A man holds a Nerf gun to his head during the Maryland Washington Minority Companies Association spring breakfast meeting. (Courtesy Photo)
The scare happened at Martin’s West in Woodlawn, Md. during the association’s annual spring breakfast meeting and show business expo May 12.
The event was emceed by WBFF-TV (Channel 45) news anchor Jennifer Gilbert.
In describing what happened to her station, Gilbert said an unidentified man approached her at the end of the event asking her to speak.
“I said, ‘I’m sorry, the event is over, you’ll have to speak to the gentleman who is the organizer of the event’. At that point I got the sense that something was a little off,” she told FOX45.
Gilbert said as she was stepping aside, the man went to the podium on the stage and pulled out a Nerf gun and pointed it at the crowd.
The news anchor then went to several high ranking officials from the Baltimore Police Department, including Commissioner Kevin Davis, to alert them of the situation.
The officers talked with the man who said there were several packages around the building. The Baltimore County Police bomb squad was called and the building was inspected.
No bombs were found; the man was taken into custody by County Police.
Mayor Catherine Pugh and a number of other officials were among the 1,500 people in attendance.
Officials with the association are calling the incident a “mental crisis.”