Man arrested for threatening mall patrons with a knife

SALEM — A Boston-area man was arrested by police Thursday for threatening patrons inside The Mall at Rockingham Park with a knife.

A group of teenagers that noticed the man, later identified by police as Peter Alan Mason, 67, of Boston, ran to Spencer’s to report him to an employee who then contacted mall security, according to police logs.

Salem police responded to the mall around 4:30 p.m. to arrest and detain Mason. He was transported to a local area hospital with a minor head injury, where he was treated, released into the custody of the Salem police and held on preventative detention.

Mason was charged with criminal threatening, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.