Pokémon Go Trainer, 56, Arrested for Brawling With Another Trainer, 55, Over Control of Gym

August 14, 2020

Two middle-aged Pokémon GO trainers in Japan engaged in an “offline battle,” resulting in the arrest of the instigator of the fight.

Not-so-friendly match: What began as a competition for control over the same Pokémon GO gym, ended in an altercation between 56-year-old Kento Sato and another 55-year-old player, reports SoraNews24.

The men, who met through the game, have reportedly known each other for a long time.
They apparently developed a rivalry as tensions grew between them in competitions over the years.
An argument finally erupted on August 10, escalating into the alleged physical assault by Sato on his Pokémon rival.
The victim was a 55-year-old man who was inside his car when Sato allegedly grabbed him by the chest through the window of the vehicle.
The suspect also reportedly kicked and damaged the victim’s side-view mirror.
Sato is now facing assault charges after being arrested by the Hokkaido Prefectural Police on the day of the incident.

Pokémon fans react: In response to the brawl, social media users condemned the physical violence that arose from the game competition.

“Is he a 56-year-old grade schooler?” a user commented.
“Gotcha! Idiot was caught!” another noted.
Others expressed confusion on the situation, saying: “What the hell is going on?”
While some, poked fun at them: “Am I going to be like that when I turn 56?”
“Looks like a game of 56-year-old GO to jail,” said another.

Feature Image via Getty

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