A Pasco County family is upset with a county library after they say their 12-year-old son was kicked out and put in a dangerous situation.
Hanging out in the “teen room” at Regency Park Library is a regular thing for 12-year-old Shawn Rice. But Shawn says the last time he was there something bad happened.
“He had a knife and he took it out and flashed it,” Shawn said of 18-year-old Niko Izquierdo.
When Shawn told the librarian he thought Izquierdo would get kicked out.
“Then thinking that I was OK, I went back in the teen room, instead of me going back in there they pushed us all out, all of us,” said Shawn.
The librarian called Shawn’s home but no one answered. So he went outside and so did Izquierdo. He says the teen came after him again.
“I was bent down over there near my bike and he had the knife up to my head,” said Shawn.
Shawn says he was threatening to kill him and calling him a snitch.
Shawn got away on his bike unharmed but scared. So was his mom, Maria Galvan. Now she wants to know why her son was sent to the same spot as the boy he says threatened him.
"They should have staggered them out of the library, so a couple at a time you know, even not having done anything and just called the police and waited for them to show up and handle the situation," said Galvan.
The county says the librarian didn’t know who was causing the problem and that there’s a policy children shouldn’t be left unattended. Galvan says she didn’t think she’d have to worry about him at the library and she wants something to change.
“I don’t want this to happen again, I don’t want this to happen to the next kid,” said Galvan.
The county says it is taking another look at the library's policies after this incident to see if there is something more they can do in a situation like this.
Izquierdo was arrested for aggravated assault and has since been released. According to the arrest report a witness confirmed Shawn’s story however Izquierdo denies making the threats.