Police say a 21-year-old mom pointed a handgun at children’s store workers after they told her toddler could not play with the toys.
Story Snapshot
- Indianapolis police responded to a silent holdup alarm at Once Upon a Child on July 16.
- Court records name the suspect as 21-year-old Tamya Staten and list two felony charges.
- Employees reported Staten pulled a large black handgun and made threats at staff.
- A warrant reportedly carried a no-bond hold until her first court hearing.
Police Response To Silent Alarm At Children’s Store
Indianapolis officers answered a silent holdup alarm on July 16 at Once Upon a Child on 86th Street, after staff called for help during a dispute with a customer and her child. Police say store workers had told the mother that her toddler could not play with store toys. The scene was a normal retail setting that turned tense fast. Officers arrived to secure the site and gather statements from employees and witnesses based on what they saw and heard.
Reports state surveillance video from the store captured the confrontation and the suspect leaving the business in a vehicle. Investigators reportedly identified the woman by a license plate number and an identification card she gave to staff during the visit. These steps are standard police work. Video can lock down a timeline. A plate number and an identification card can tie a person to a scene and help move a case to charging.
Alleged Gun Display And Threats Described In Filings
Court summaries cited by news outlets say an employee told police the woman removed a large black handgun from her leggings and pointed it toward staff. The same reports attribute a quote to the suspect that suggested a readiness to use the weapon during the argument. Another outlet recounts similar details about the display of the gun during the dispute over store policy. These are allegations in charging documents, not findings by a jury.
Local coverage identifies the suspect as 21-year-old Tamya Staten and says Marion County prosecutors filed two felony counts: intimidation with a deadly weapon and pointing a firearm at another person. One report says online records showed a warrant that included a no-bond hold until an initial hearing was set. Another account notes that as of one update, police had not yet made an arrest, which can happen when warrants issue before custody.
How Indiana Law Treats Threats With A Gun
Indiana cases show prosecutors often pair intimidation with a deadly weapon and pointing a firearm when the same incident involves a threat and a gun. Appellate decisions explain that intimidation with a deadly weapon turns on a communicated threat and the drawing or use of a weapon during that threat, while pointing a firearm focuses on aiming a gun at a person regardless of whether it is fired. That structure helps courts sort facts and penalties based on how the event unfolded.
Police say an Indianapolis woman pulled a gun on store employees after they told her that her child couldn’t play on the toys. She now faces felony charges and has an active warrant for her arrest.https://t.co/hRH5KM8PWl pic.twitter.com/SLTcMy4zjJ
— WTHR.com (@WTHRcom) September 30, 2026
The pairing of these charges appears in several Indiana cases when arguments escalate in public places, from parking lots to retail aisles. That pattern matters here. If the state proves words that place a person in fear and a gun pointed at staff, the charges can both stand under Indiana law. If evidence falls short on either element, judges and juries can narrow the outcome. For now, the filed counts mark the seriousness with which the state treats threats around families and stores.
Sources:
nypost.com, local12.com, newsbreak.com, x.com
