Tag: bomb threats

SANTA MONICA—On Tuesday, April 9, the Santa Monica Police Department informed Canyon News that a suspect who threatened a lifeguard that resulted in the closure of Pacific Coast Highway has been arrested.

Public Information Officer for the SMPD, Myesha Morrison indicated at approximately 11 a.m., officers responded to the 1200 block of the Beach for an individual threatening a lifeguard with a metallic rod. The suspect, later identified as Michael Vincent Parrett, 38, who police indicated was a homeless man, jumped from the roof of Lifeguard Tower 12 and approached the victim with the rod, thrusting it towards him several times. The victim was able to dodge out of the way and was not injured.

Parrett was found by officers in the 400 block of Palisades Beach Road and ignored the officers’ commands and started running on the sidewalk, approaching multiple bystanders, while still holding the rod. When the officers intervened, the subject ran into the bluffs overlooking PCH. As a result of the risk of the suspect falling onto PCH and into traffic, the California Highway Patrol assisted in closing northbound and southbound traffic.

The suspect threatened that he would not give up without a fight resulting in the Crisis Negotiations Team responding to the location. Dialogue with Parrett continued for over an hour and half with no impact. Parrett informed officers that would have to shoot him before he gave up. Officers attempted to use less than lethal means to have the suspect drop the rod and surrender. He continued to maintain control of the weapon, refusing to drop it.

He was taken into custody with the assistance of a department K9. Parrett was taken to a local area hospital for evaluation before being transported to the Santa Monica Jail. He was booked for 245 (a) 1 PC – Assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to inflict great bodily injury.

By Trevor

SANTA MONICA—Lt. Erika Aklufi of the Santa Monica Police Department informed Canyon News via email that they arrested a suspect who made bomb threats on the Santa Monica Pier on Monday, October 9.

The SMPD reported at about 2:35 p.m. they received a radio call of a distraught male subject climbing the Ferris wheel in Pacific Park on the Pier. A witness told officers that the man claimed to have a bomb in his backpack.

Officers found the subject, later identified as Juan Gonzalez, 37, of Garden Grove, approximately two-thirds of the way up the Ferris wheel in the steel supports. There were approximately 10 riders on the wheel, which was stopped with Gonzalez in the support structure.

The Santa Monica Fire Department worked to rescue the riders in the wheel’s gondolas while members of the SMPD Crisis Negotiation Team contacted Gonzalez and started talking him down to the Pier Deck. During the negotiations, Gonzalez was agitated and upset and continued to make bomb threats to the officers negotiating with him. The incident lasted for more than an hour before Gonzalez climbed down low enough for officers to take him into custody. He was not in possession of an explosive device or any other weapons.

Based on the multiple threats made to witnesses as well as the continued bomb threats articulated by Gonzalez to the officers, he was placed under arrest for criminal threats (a felony), making a false bomb threat to authorities, and resisting arrest. He was evaluated by the SMFD on-scene and transported to the Santa Monica Jail for booking. The case will be presented to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office for filing on the threats charges.

Lt. Aklufi informed Canyon News that there were no injuries during the incident and the Department is unaware of any prior criminal record with the suspect. Lt. Aklufi told Canyon News on Wednesday, October 11, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed charges for felony criminal threats (422 PC), felony resisting arrest (69 PC), false imprisonment (236 PC) and making a false bomb report (148.1 PC).

By Trevor