A Ridgeland teenager accused of breaking into a local shooting range and stealing a pair of firearms is being charged as an adult.
On Thursday around 3:18 a.m., police responded to Two Gun Tactical on Highway 51 after receiving notification of a burglary alarm activation. Officers arrived within one minute and discovered a shattered window where a burglar had broken into the facility.
Ridgeland Police Department’s Special Response Team was activated, and with the assistance of a drone operator from the Madison Police Department, the business was safely cleared and secured.
“Due to the possibility of a barricaded suspect in a business holding firearms and ammunition, extra precaution was taken to assure officer safety,” a statement from Ridgeland Police Chief Brian Myers reads.
Video surveillance of the business was reviewed. It was discovered that a lone burglar entered Two Gun Tactical and stole two firearms from a display case before quickly exiting the premises through the broken window. After assessing the scene and video footage, law enforcement officials were able to track down 17-year-old Thomas Schaffer, Jr. The stolen firearms were also recovered.
“Special thanks to the Madison Police Department as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms for their assistance in this investigation,” Myers concluded.
Schaffer is charged as an adult with one count of burglary of a commercial building and two counts of possession of a stolen weapon. His bond has been set at $200,000 and he will be held in the Madison County Detention Center.
