Court docs: Sold-out show prompts threats before The Band Perry concert
Police say they've identified the second man but have not arrested him
State police have arrested one man after he and his friend got upset that The Band Perry concert tickets were sold out and threatened to jump the fence with guns in order to enter the show, according to court documents.
The men's statements Sunday resulted in the cancellation of The Band Perry's sold-out show at the Freeman Stage at Bayside in Selbyville that night.
The men tried to buy tickets for the show but became upset when they found out they were sold out, according to court documents obtained by The News Journal Tuesday. The men told the employee that they knew someone who could get them access to the show, but the woman told them she didn't know who the person was.
This prompted further agitation, according to court documents, and then the men asked "Well what if we jump the fence?" The employee told them they would be kicked out by security officers.
The men continued, asking what would happen if they jumped the fence with guns, according to court documents. The woman became uncomfortable and directed them to look at other flyers before reporting the threat to management at Americana Bayside and police.
Dzmitry N. Papou, 35, of Selbyville, turned himself in at Troop 4 in Georgetown Monday night after local media released photos of him and another man, Master Cpl. Gary Fournier said. He was charged with felony terroristic threatening and released on $20,000 unsecured bail.
He was also issued a no contact order with Americana Bayside, Fournier said.
In a police interview, Papou told officers that he and his friend did ask the employee what would happen if they jumped the fence, but never brought up guns in the conversation, according to court documents.
The woman specified again to police that Papou said, "if we had guns, they wouldn't kick us out."
Police say they've identified the second man involved in the threats, but have not arrested him. Because the investigation is ongoing, police have not released any additional details.
STORY: Band Perry show in Selbyville postponed after threats
The show was called off just 15 minutes before opener Melissa Alesi was slated to take the stage, said Patti Grimes, executive director of the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, which runs events at the Freeman Stage.
Immediately after the threats were made, event organizers met with state and local authorities and the band’s management and decided to call off the show, she said Monday. Security measures at the venue had increased following the shooting death of Christina Grimmie, the contestant from NBC's "The Voice" who was fatally shot after a show last month in Orlando, Florida.
"We are thankful and appreciative of the timely work of the Delaware State Police and the community’s support following the incident that took place Sunday," the foundation said in a statement Tuesday. "We will see this investigation through the final outcome and continue to make our patrons' safety our No. 1 priority."
The show has been rescheduled for 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17, said Alyson Cunningham, a spokeswoman for the foundation. Those that bought tickets can also get refunds.
So far, Cunningham said, the organization has not received any negative feedback from patrons in regards to postponing the show.
"I think the patrons that were planning on attending and any patron of the Freeman Stage was happy to hear that safety was our No. 1 concern," she said.
The show Sunday was part of a summer concert series that includes Pat Benatar and Melissa Etheridge on July 13, Huey Lewis and the News on July 27 and Gladys Knight on Aug. 19.
Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771 or bhorn@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @brittanyhorn.