Gun in American Fork theater lands 2 men in jail

PROVO — Police arrested two men who attracted police attention by bringing a loaded handgun to a movie theater in American Fork.

A theater employee called police Tuesday to report workers heard the man rack the slide on a pistol, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in 4th District Court.

Police checked the man, his friend and the man's backpack but didn't find a gun.

After the men left, a movie theater employee found the gun hidden in the seats, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit states the man told police he was on probation in New Mexico. New Mexico law-enforcement officials confirmed the man was on probation for kidnapping on Wednesday, according to police.

Police found the man and his friend at a restaurant in American Fork Wednesday night. The man told police he bought the gun in New Mexico for "protection in the drug trade," according to the affidavit.

He also said the loaded gun had been in his backpack at the movie theater. While in the theater, he gave the gun to his friend, who confessed to hiding it in the movie theater seats, according to the affidavit.

The man who initially had the gun told police he is on probation for a violent felony and that he killed his first person at age 12 by shooting them six times, according to the affidavit.

He said he sells approximately $20,000 worth of methamphetamines a month and that he started a gang in New Mexico.

The man was arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail for investigation of reckless endangerment, obstruction of justice and investigation of possession of a fire-arm by a restricted person and is being held on $100,000 cash-only bond.

The man's friend is being held for investigation of obstruction of justice and reckless endangerment on $50,000 cash-only bail.