VALDOSTA — Valdosta police arrested a juvenile accused of threatening an officer with an airsoft gun and sharpened stick.

Release:

A 16-year-old juvenile is arrested for aggravated assault on a police officer, when he points an airsoft gun at him, then threatens him with a sharpened stick.

On May 1, 2026, at 5:20 pm. Valdosta Police Officers responded to the area of the 1400 block of San Bernardino Way for a call about a verbal dispute. While officers were responding, the complainant told the E911 dispatcher that a juvenile had left the residence, dressed in all black and carrying a sharp stick.

When the first officer arrived in the area, they located the 16-year-old male walking down the roadway. The officer noticed that the male was carrying a stick, appeared to have a rifle slung across his shoulder, and had a handgun holstered on his hip. As the officer was exiting his marked patrol vehicle to speak with the juvenile, the juvenile raised the handgun and pointed it at the officer. The officer pulled his firearm as well, but he was able to identify that the juvenile actually had an airsoft pistol.

The juvenile threw the airsoft pistol onto the ground and armed himself with a large, sharpened stick. The juvenile moved towards the officer with the stick in a threatening manner, resulting in the officer deploying his Taser to control the juvenile.

The juvenile was arrested without any further incident.

The juvenile was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer (felony). The Department of Juvenile Justice authorized the detainment of the juvenile at a Regional Youth Detention Center.

“Our officers have to make split-second decisions in dangerous and uncertain situations. When someone points what appears to be a firearm at an officer, the threat is perceived as a real threat at that moment”, said Chief Leslie Manahan. “This situation could have easily ended with a different outcome.”