Man arrested wearing body armor while walking around Meriden with guns and beer

MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Meriden police said a man was arrested Wednesday after he was found walking down the main streets of Meriden wearing a bulletproof vest while carrying a beer and what appeared from a distance to be a rifle.

Someone who reported the suspect said he allegedly told witnesses they should “kill themselves” and that he was “waiting for the police.”

Officers on scene recognized the man on outstanding arrest warrants as Tyler Dowd.

Out of an abundance of caution, police stopped traffic in all directions on Hanover Avenue while Dowd walked in the middle of the road. Police say he ignored all of their verbal commands to stop and began walking toward a more residential area.

It was then that the police were able to take him to the ground and take him into custody.

Police said the rifle on Dowd's back was a crossbow with a collapsible stock that had the limbs removed, making it look like a rifle from a distance.

In his backpack, police said they found an Orange Orion Flare pistol with a modified 12-gauge cartridge inside, which had been hollowed out and appeared to be repackaged with glass and other debris.

The 32-year-old Meriden man received medical treatment on scene and was subsequently arrested and charged with criminal possession of a firearm, carrying a dangerous weapon, violation of a protection order , obstructing an officer and breaching public order.

He was also the subject of three active arrest warrants for failure to appear to varying degrees.

Dowd was being held on $500,000 bail.

He was arrested on similar charges in Wallingford earlier this month, after allegedly bringing a modified flare gun into a Walmart.

When officers arrived on scene, they found Dowd concealing price tags on items in the store. Officers also found on him a flare gun modified to fire shards of glass, a fixed blade and a folding pocket knife.

Police said that while officers were putting Dowd in the car, he resisted arrest and bit one of the officers on the arm.