Shevlin Man Taken into Custody by…Citizen’s Arrest?

A 21-year-old man is arrested for misdemeanor assault after refusing to leave a downtown Fargo bar.

It was the people doing the arrest that made it unusual.

Shane Teigland, 21, of Shevlin, Minnesota didn’t have an easy way out of the Empire Tavern when asked to leave.

“What can be described as a wrestling match ensued, they fell to the ground, two employees sustained injuries and the suspect ended up leaving the scene. We found him a short distance from the Empire Bar, detained him and then began investigating the disturbance,” said Deputy Chief Joe Anderson of the Fargo Police Department.

Fargo Police say people may not know they have the right to make a citizen’s arrest without a warrant.

“It was determined that the two victims would be willing to press charges, being that we were not present at the scene and we didn’t know the extent of the injuries, the two victims agreed to do a citizen’s arrest on the suspect,” Anderson says.

Because of what’s shown on television or in movies, people might have a vague definition of what citizen’s arrest is.

“As long people have the same definition because if people have a different definition and think it’s being deputized  and having to put the person in the back of the vehicle and drive them to the police station. That can be very dangerous,” says Brandon Medenwald.

There are requirements, such as verbalizing your request.

“Typically, when we arrive, more often than not, the suspect sometimes is still on scene,” said Deputy Chief Anderson. “But we’ll talk to the victim and ask whether or not they want to press charges or whether or not they want to make a citizen’s arrest if appropriate and then we have that person tell the suspect, that’s actually a requirement,” Anderson says.

You tell the suspect, and then hold them until police arrive.

However, for safety some would rather leave it all in the hands of the law.

“I think that the law enforcement should handle it and we need to take our selves, keep ourselves conditioned to get a hold of the law,” said Glenward Jones.

Police urge the public to call 911 if they believe they need assistance from law enforcement.