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'Unruly crowd' surrounded officers on Court Avenue early Sunday morning, one arrested with gun according to police

Police arrested J'Vaughn Alexander after investigating a report of someone threatening to shoot people.

DES MOINES, Iowa — One person was arrested and police recovered two handguns after multiple disputes with a large crowd as Court Avenue bars closed Sunday morning, according to the Des Moines Police Department.

Police were investigating a report of someone threatening to shoot people and arrested J'Vaughn Alexander. Alexander had run from police, and when officers caught him a crowd surrounded them.

DMPD said multiple additional units responded to clear the "unruly crowd."

No charges have been filed against the other person who had a handgun because a follow-up is needed to confirm the possession is prohibited due to a prior arrest.

Police said this followed a shots fired incident at 2nd Avenue and Court Avenue. It is not known at this time if that incident is related.

This comes two weeks after the end of the Court Avenue Entertainment District, which was originally set for Labor Day weekend but extended to Sept. 18.

The two-block area of Court Avenue surrounding 3rd Street was fenced off from traffic from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays over the summer. Anyone entering the district had to show ID and undergo a security check.

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