TALLAHASSEE, FL — In a scene almost too surreal for fiction, newly released police bodycam footage captures the moment Tallahassee law enforcement officers stormed a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant to arrest a man dressed as the company’s iconic mouse mascot.
The suspect, identified as 41-year-old Jermel Jones, was taken into custody while wearing the full Chuck E. Cheese costume, shocking customers and sparking emotional reactions from children and parents alike.
“We’re gonna detain the mouse,” one officer is heard saying as police enter the family-themed arcade and pizzeria. The video shows officers calmly speaking with a manager before approaching Jones, who was interacting with a mother and her child when police moved in.
What followed was a chaotic and bizarre arrest scene. One officer can be heard instructing the costumed Jones: “Chuck E., come with me, Chuck E.” As Jones resists, the officer escalates: “Chuck E., stop resisting, stop resisting. You’re being detained, stop resisting. Let it go, let it go.”
Children can be heard gasping and crying in the background. One young voice pleads, “What are you doing?” while another child shouts, “Chuck E., no!” as the mouse mascot is handcuffed and escorted from the building.
Police later confirmed Jones is facing three felony charges, including credit card theft and fraudulent use of personal identification. Authorities say the charges stem from an ongoing investigation into unauthorized charges — approximately $100 — linked to the location in July.
“It is unfortunate that the person who is subject of this investigation and who we had probable cause on happened to be in a suit and in costume,” said police spokesperson Alicia Hill in a statement to the media.
Jones has reportedly denied any wrongdoing.
Not everyone in the restaurant took the arrest calmly. A visibly angry parent confronted the officers, urging them to “walk him out the door instead of traumatizing all these children seeing someone like Chuck E. Cheese get arrested.” The man added: “Would y’all put Mickey Mouse in handcuffs?!”
One officer offered a terse reply: “Have a good night.”
While some on social media expressed outrage at the optics of arresting a beloved children’s character, others applauded the officers for executing their duties without hesitation, regardless of theatrics. “Just because you’re in a costume doesn’t mean you’re above the law,” wrote one commenter on X.
