An accused shoplifter is facing charges after an altercation with loss prevention officers inside a Mesa Target store.
Mesa police report that on March 19, Freddie Lee Troutt entered a Target near Longmore and Southern avenues.
Inside the store, an off-duty loss prevention officer reportedly saw the 32-year-old place items inside a purse.
The worker alerted another employee, who contacted a manager, who then began tracking Troutt on a video feed. On the video, Troutt is reportedly seen placing several items in the purse and then pushing his shopping cart past the registers and into the breezeway.
There, he was confronted by another loss prevention officer who attempted to detain him.
Police say Troutt fought with the officer before another loss prevention officer joined in to assist. Troutt then allegedly reached for a gun that was in his waistband.
At that time, police say a third loss prevention officer jumped in and pulled Troutt's hand away from the gun.
Mesa police say the gun turned out to be a CO2-powered pellet gun.
Troutt allegedly admitted to police that he is on probation for armed robbery.
He is now being held on a $50,000 bond for armed robbery and aggravated assault.
