Police arrested a man who allegedly pulled out a loaded gun in front of police officers and threw the weapon on elementary school grounds in Oakley after setting his own mailbox on fire Friday evening, a police sergeant said.
Oakley resident Hemeregildo Rivera, 45, was intoxicated when officers arrested him on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a loaded gun in public, possessing a gun that is not registered and arson, Oakley police Sgt. Robert Roberts said.
Officers responded to the 500 block of Norcross Lane on a report of a mailbox fire just before 5 p.m., Roberts said.
Roberts said officers have had numerous interactions with Rivera in the past and arrived to find him across the street from his home, on the grounds of Oakley Elementary School.
Rivera allegedly pulled out a gun and threw it on school grounds, in front of the officers, Roberts said. Rivera never pointed the gun at police.
Officers later discovered the gun was jammed, and Roberts said police are still trying to determine whether it became jammed when he tried to rack a round in the chamber or if it misfired:
“We’re not sure if he tried to fire the gun. The bullet that was in the chamber was jammed.”
Although school was out for the day, Roberts said there was an after-school program with roughly 20 students on campus at the time.
Roberts said there was no indication that Rivera ever pointed the gun at anyone or even displayed it.
Police searched Rivera and found two more guns on his person. Roberts said those guns were determined to be fake:
“We’ve had numerous contacts with this subject and that’s the first time he’s ever been, I don’t want to say violent, but that he’s ever had a handgun. The good news is he went to jail and nobody was hurt…It could have turned really ugly.”
Rivera was booked in the county jail.
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