Transient Allegedly Annoying Children Playing Pokémon Go Wanted For Attempted Murder

FULLERTON (CBSLA.com) — A man suspected of attempted murder also faces charges for allegedly trying to touch children with a plastic flower, as they played the Pokémon Go app at Plaza Park in Fullerton.

Jacob Kells, 39, a transient, was arrested Tuesday at about 10 a.m. after police received reports of a transient interacting with children at the park and touching them inappropriately, Fullerton police spokeswoman Kathryn Hamel said.

The children were playing the wildly popular smartphone game Pokemon Go when they were made aware of Kells' presence by other gamers at the park. The gamers and witnesses detained him until officers arrived, Hamel said.

One of those gamers was Seth Ortega.

"The thing I'm worried about was him getting violent," said Ortega. "Once I saw him touch the kids leg I knew it was time to act, time to make sure he doesn't try to do anything else."

Officers ultimately arrested Kells for misdemeanor child annoyance. He was later found to be the subject of an arrest warrant out of Monterey County for charges including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, assaulting and resisting a peace officer, possession of a stolen vehicle and felony evading causing great bodily injury.

"Just finding out that the guy was wanted for attempted murder was just a huge shock," said Javier Soch, another gamer who helped detain Kells. "It's something we weren't expecting at all."

Both Soch and Ortega served in the Marine Corps, and say they're training has made them constantly aware of their surroundings.

None of the children were hurt during the encounter with Kells, according to Fullerton Police.