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Police: Suspect uses toy gun during attempted robbery

Posted at 3:45 PM, Mar 17, 2015
and last updated 2015-03-17 17:49:21-04

SALT LAKE CITY — A man’s attempt to rob a Salt Lake City man at gunpoint was foiled when the victim realized the weapon was a toy.

At approximately 8:46 p.m. Sunday, Brandon Roof entered a controlled entry apartment, 130 S. 1300 East, where he came to the door of the victim trying to sell magazines for charity.

The victim told police that Roof, 31, got upset and pulled out a gun when he didn’t buy $20 worth of magazines, according to a probable cause statement released Tuesday.

Roof told the victim to give him his wallet. According to the probable cause statement, Roof made threatening remarks during the encounter stating, ‘I’m going to kill you.’

Roof made the victim go into the bathroom while Roof tried to take the man’s laptop and anything else of value, according to the statement.

As Roof held the gun to the victim’s head, he realized the gun was fake and started wrestling with the suspect, the statement indicates.

During the scuffle, the toy gun broke. The fight then spilled out into the hallway where the victim was able to get help from neighbors and call police, according to the statement.

The man told police he and the neighbors held Roof until police arrived.

Roof was booked into Salt Lake County Jail on charges of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, expired registration, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance, providing false information to a police officer, obstruction of justice and unlawful possession of another person’s ID documents.