Police were called to a park at Hendre Lake in St. Mellons, Cardiff, Wales, UK. They had received a disturbing report of a medieval swordsman walking around the lake.
Concerned about the potential for violence, three officers from the South Wales Police firearms unit were dispatched to investigate.
According to a spokesperson for the department, they received a report at 3:10 in the afternoon on Wednesday, May 13th, 2020, about a man in armor with a sword at the lake.
Given the number of families visiting the park on a clear day, there was certainly reason to treat the situation seriously and not just hope for the best.
Mike James is a medical technician who was visiting the park with his wife and son at the time. He saw the swordsman pass by and assumed that he was an actor so he and his family didn’t pay him much mind.
According to James, the man was wearing a costume that appeared to be out of the Assassin’s Creed video games. The games are centered around a battle between Knights Templar and a brotherhood of assassins.
These battle take place against various historical backdrops among different generations of the two organizations. The player plays as a character who is able to enter the memories of his ancestor in order to watch and participate in the action.
James said that the police arrived about five minutes after the swordsman passed by. They asked if he had seen anyone who looked suspicious at the park.
James knew they must be referring to the man in the armor and informed them that he was walking laps around the lake and would likely be coming around soon.
The officers then found the gentleman in question and approached him with weapons drawn. They ordered him to lay his sword down before approaching him.
Once they spoke with the ‘medieval swordsman’ hey learned that he was only out for a stroll in order to get used to the weight of his new costume. As for the three-foot long sword – it was just a replica and not a working weapon.
The officers gave the man some advice to avoid any future misunderstandings and even posed for a picture with him before allowing him to go on his way.
According to the police station, the man had committed no crime and so was not charged with any offense. James said that the police officers were “as good as gold.”
James said he wasn’t sure if the armor consisted of true chain mail but noted that it clinked like metal when the man passed by him.
He noted that the costume did appear to be heavy. The sword looked very realistic to James though he couldn’t say what it was actually made out of.
All in all, the events turned a fairly tame afternoon at the park with his family into something James referred to as “surreal.”
The man was eventually identified as Lennon Thomas, a 20-year-old man who enjoys Dungeons & Dragons and LARPing (Live Action Role Playing).
He has since apologized for scaring people at the park. He even admitted that carrying the sword was a lapse in judgment on his part. He was not remorseful for wearing the costume though.
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“Life is a lot more fun when you don’t care how weird you are,” said Thomas.
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