The store’s manager told police he got a “weird vibe” when Tackett, who was riding a bike, walked into the store. A female employee, who was doing inventory stock in the back of the store, told police she saw Tackett conceal two LED lights under his jacket.
She asked Tackett to pay for the items twice, she told police.
The manager then stood in the doorway to keep Tackett from leaving. That’s when Tackett allegedly pulled out a knife and pointed it at the manager, police were told.
The manager was told to get out of the way or Tackett would cut him with the knife.
Tackett walked out of the store, dropped the knife, got on his bike and rode toward downtown. The knife was 9 1/2 inches long, police said.
Police went to a home in the 1300 block of Fairmount Avenue, where Tackett was known to live. When police arrived, Tackett was wearing a toboggan, a green winter coat and jeans, just as those at AutoZone described him. Police also found two lights.
On the way to the City Jail, Tackett allegedly made several threats toward the Middletown police department, used homophobic and racial slurs and told the officer he was going to hunt him down and shoot him in the head, according to the report.
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