Man arrested in Easter weekend robbery

SIOUX FALLS — A 21-year-old man was arrested Sunday, April 9, in connection with a robbery at a Sioux Falls convenience store, according to Sioux Falls Police spokesman Sam Clemens.

Tristen J. Anderson entered the store about 8:45 a.m. on Easter Sunday carrying a baseball bat in an intimidating manner and stole a few items before leaving, Clemens said at the Monday, April 10, police briefing.

The clerk asked the man to leave the bat outside and he didn’t, according to the report. Because the clerk felt threatened, South Dakota law makes it possible to charge for robbery.

After viewing surveillance video from the store, police were familiar with the man with face tattoos and began searching for him, Clemens said.

Later Sunday, at about 3 p.m., the man was found near 41st Street and Western Avenue and arrested by police. Clemens said Anderson also faces possible meth charges as police said they found it on him.

Two other robberies were also reported on Easter Sunday:

• About 12:15 p.m. a woman reported that a suspect stole her purse in a parking lot at the Walmart along Arrowhead Parkway. No arrests have been made.
• Later Sunday night about 11 p.m. a customer in a motel in the 1500 block of Russell Street West reported that an unknown person entered the room and stole cash. No suspect was arrested in the case yet either.

There were also a couple of gun incidents reported over the weekend:

• At about 4:45 a.m. Saturday, April 8, residents later reported shots fired at a vehicle and an apartment building at 3000 South Mayfair Drive.
• Also Saturday, witnesses reported a vehicle pulled up and shot at another vehicle in Riverdale Park on East 24th Street near the Big Sioux River. Those involved in the incident never reported the gun shots, Clemens said, and there were no apparent injuries.