On July 17th at around 4:55 p.m., police were dispatched to 401 E. North Street for a report of a male suspect that had just pointed a gun at another individual. On arrival, police observed the suspect, identified as 22-year-old Austin Bennett of Rapid City, exit a hotel room and place items in a nearby parked Nissan passenger car. Officers commanded Bennett to stay where he was, but he took off running. Police stayed with the vehicle, which had three other occupants inside it, while other officers pursued Bennett on foot. Police caught up to Austin in the parking lot of 406 E. North Street as he was attempting to jump over a fence. He fell to his knees and was commanded to stop. He attempted to take off running again, and an officer deployed their Taser. The Taser deployment was unsuccessful, and an officer tackled Bennet while he was running. In the struggle, Bennett grabbed the officer’s Taser and attempted to point it at the officer. Other officers arrived to assist, and Bennet was placed in handcuffs. A search of his person turned up a large sum of cash, a baggie containing a substance field-testing positive for methamphetamine, and a syringe. In the meantime, other officers worked on detaining the three occupants of the Nissan. They are identified as 35-year-old Joseph Reginelli, 20-year-old Tristan McLaughlin, and 20-year-old Dylan Gimbel (all of Rapid City). A search of the Nissan turned up a loaded pistol and a digital scale which field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Police determined the pistol recovered from the Nissan was reported stolen. Bennett was placed under arrest for Aggravated Assault on Law Enforcement, Commission of a Felony with a Firearm, Possession of a Firearm with a Felony Drug Conviction, Possession of a Controlled substance, Distribution of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Receiving Stolen Property, Resisting Arrest, and a Probation Hold. Reginelli was placed under arrest for Possession of a Controlled Substance and a Parole Hold. McLaughlin, and Gimbel were placed under arrest for Possession of a Controlled Substance.
