WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – “I’m no hero. I was just protecting the kids.” That’s what the owner of a Watertown dance studio is saying about being threatened with a knife near her business last week.
Rhonda Foote of Rhonda’s FooteWorks rents space inside the Top of the Square building at 146 Arsenal Street.
She says a parent of one of her young dancers alerted her that a man was in the hallway near the building’s entrance. The man parked a shopping cart outside and brought his belongings inside, Foote said.
She added that the man was saying inappropriate things to people as they passed by.
Foote says she approached the man and asked him to leave the building. She says the man began screaming at her, displayed a steak knife and threatened her.
According to police, Foote told them the man said, “I’m gonna f***g kill you.”
Foote tells 7 News she returned to her studio and locked the doors to protect the 25 children and 3 teachers who were inside.
She then called Watertown police, who arrested 41-year-old Thomas Folsom, who’s homeless. Folsom never entered Foote’s business.
He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and menacing.
City police recommend that people contact law enforcement to remove a homeless person from private property rather than handling the situation themselves.
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