WASILLA -- A teenager from Anchorage who tried to steal a Valley man's iPhone at the Wasilla Walgreens store and then pulled a gun was quickly subdued by his intended victim, Wasilla police say.
The incident started when Adam Naranjo, who was selling his iPhone on Craigslist, agreed to meet the 16-year-old at Walgreens, according to Wasilla police spokesman, officer Rick Manrique. They met in the parking lot and went inside.
Naranjo put the phone on the counter, and the teenager grabbed it and ran, Manrique said.
Naranjo caught the teen in the parking lot and "the kid produces a gun and threatens to shoot him," Manrique said, describing the victim as solidly built. "He disarms the kid and holds him for police."
Police said the call came in at about 10:45 p.m. from someone near the store -- located across the Parks Highway from the Wasilla police station.
A prompt response of officers with weapons drawn got some attention on social media late Tuesday, with at least one witness describing what they thought was an armed robbery.
The 16-year-old was booked at Mat-Su Youth Facility on felony charges of third-degree assault, fourth-degree assault and fifth-degree misconduct involving weapons.
Contact Zaz Hollander at zhollander@alaskadispatch.com.