29 August 2023- After significant police work to charge a Mechanicsburg man with terroristic threats and attempted assault charges, police say they have arrested a 17 year old juvenile on charges of trying to stab the responding warrant service Troopers. Jatani Ruiz is charged with felony attempted aggravated assault, misdemeanor terroristic threats, misdemeanor assault, misdemeanor reckless endangerment, and summary harassment. Niyaliza Jocelynn Webster, a 17 year old juvenile being charged as an adult, is charged with two counts of felony terroristic threats, two counts of felony attempted aggravated assault of an officer, two counts of attempted aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, felony hindering apprehension, misdemeanor resisting arrest, misdemeanor disorderly conduct, and summary public drunkenness. Ruiz is behind bars on $40,000 bail and Webster is behind bars on $100,000 bail.
The bulk of the police work revolves around a house party in Shippensburg on the night of July 29th. Police say that they interviewed both the host and some of the people at the party where, due to a disagreement between two men over a perceived approach of one of the men’s girlfriends, a gun was drawn. The man who drew the gun, allegedly later identified as Jatani Ruiz, had a ski mask on when he threatened the other man, placing the barrel against the man’s temple before leaving the scene. After leaving the party, police say the ski masked man shone a laser light that was on his gun into the party, further threatening the group.
Through surveillance video of the area, footage from Sheetz from the time around the incident when the group stopped for gas, and multiple interviews, police were able to charge Jatani Ruiz of Mechanicsburg with the assault and threatening of the party goers. Thus, they attempted to serve a warrant on Ruiz at a home on Mainsville Road in Southampton Township, Franklin County.
When Troopers arrived in the late evening and early hours of August 26th-27th, they were met by a young woman, now known to be Niyaliza Webster. Webster reportedly approached the Troopers near the rear entry way to the home, pushing them and following them to the street. One of the Troopers allegedly tried to grab Webster to finally detain her for disrupting the warrant service, when two Troopers had to bring her to the ground to subdue her.
Once on the ground, the juvenile reportedly told police “I will f*****g stick you”, before reaching into her left pocket and pulling a rainbow-colored, fixed blade knife and thrusting it towards the two officers that were trying to detain her. Troopers were able to get the knife away from the juvenile, throwing it up an embankment before being kicked and hit by the arrestee more. Webster was finally taken into custody in handcuffs and rope around her legs to prevent kicking.
Both Niyaliza Webster and Jatani Ruiz are behind bars on $100,000 and $40,000 bail respectively. Webster’s preliminary hearing is set for September 5th, with Ruiz’s date set the next day on the 6th.
Sources: Docket Number: MJ-39305-CR-0000157-2023, Incident No.: PA 2023-1115317, Incident No.: PA 2023-992041, Docket Number: MJ-09301-CR-0000263-2023
