'Y'all ready to die?' man with machete allegedly asks teens before robbing them

SALT LAKE CITY — A man armed with a machete and arrested Saturday night for allegedly threatening and robbing a group of teenagers walking home from playing basketball has been charged.

Anthony Ray Turnbow, 18, of Salt Lake City, was charged on Monday in 3rd District Court with two counts of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony; six counts of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony; and two counts of assault, a class B misdemeanor.

Six teenage boys were walking in the area of 1500 West and 600 South at about 9 p.m. to go to a friend's house after playing basketball when Turnbow confronted them, "brandished a large machete" and threatened the teens, according to charging documents. Police originally stated that seven teens were confronted. Charging documents, however, state that one boy told investigators that he was with Turnbow and "admitted that he and Turnbow ran after the group and that Turnbow had a machete in his hand. (The teen) admitted that he had a kitchen knife in his possession."

The six victims started running, and Turnbow "ended up chasing all (of them) with the machete in his hand. (He) attempted to swing at the victims but never made any contact," the affidavit states. Charging documents add that at least one boy told police that Turnbow "threatened to kill (him) multiple times while chasing him with the machete."

"Y'all ready to die?" Turnbow asked the group before chasing them, the charges state.

The boys eventually split up while fleeing. Turnbow, however, found two of the boys hiding in a backyard.

"(Turnbow) admitted he raised the machete at this point and forced the victims out and onto their knees. (He) told the victims to empty their pockets," according to the affidavit.

Turnbow grabbed the wallets of the two boys he confronted and then "assaulted them both, causing minor injuries," according to the affidavit. Police say the machete was not used in that assault.

After Turnbow was taken into custody, police listened to a recording of the 911 call made by the boys and could hear Turnbow in the background making his threats, the affidavit states.

"Yeah, yeah, cry. Do it! Get scared. I wanna see you get scared. Empty your pockets now," Turnbow is heard telling the victims, the charges state.

Police are investigating whether Turnbow has any prior history with any of the boys.

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