Newark officers with guns drawn allegedly chase boy, 10, in mistaken-identity case

NEWARK, N.J. -- There is no denying that 10-year-old Legend Preston is big for his age. The shy fifth-grader, who loves math, was shaken to the core when Newark officers with their guns drawn allegedly chased him down an alley because they thought he was a suspect in an armed robbery.

"Some police started coming this way with guns pointed at me, and then I ran into the backyard," Legend said.

Just before that, Legend was shooting hoops at a basketball court when the ball rolled into the street. Legend ran after it and thought the officers were chasing after him for running into the street without looking.

"I ran because they thought that I rolled the ball into the street on purpose, and they were just holding shot guns at me trying to shoot me," Legend described.

Newark police said they did have their guns out but never pointed them at Legend while they were in the alley. Witnesses intervened, telling the officers the person they detained was a child.

"He's only 10 years old. How you all chasing him? He's only a kid. I'm like, 'that's messed up'," said area resident Jackie Kelly.

Legend's mom was in the house when the incident happened and knows the matter could have ended tragically. She posted a video of a "petrified" Legend on her Facebook page.

"They tried to shoot me," Legend tells his mother through tears in the video.

"These policemen who had guns drawn on my child are still on these streets," said Patisha Preston.

Police said they caught 20-year-old Casey Joseph Robinson in the chase. Robinson was charged with armed robbery. There may be some similarities between the two, but there is no doubting Legend is a kid.