Man with chain saw arrested at Venice boardwalk; witnesses sought
Los Angeles police said Wednesday they were looking for witnesses or potential victims who may have been threatened by a man walking down the Venice boardwalk this week carrying a chain saw.
The man was arrested Monday afternoon near Speedway and Market Street after several passersby reported a man was walking around with a chain saw and yelling at people, police said.
The chain saw was not on, and the man was taken into custody without incident, police said. He was not identified.
Authorities were unable to find any victims or witnesses who may have seen the man threatening people. He was ultimately arrested because of a misdemeanor warrant, police said.
“It was scary,” Viviane Robertson, a local vendor on the boardwalk, told KCBS-TV. “Police came up in their cars and just started drawing their guns in my direction, so I was really panicking.”
Robertson recorded the incident and published it on her YouTube account. The video shows LAPD officers handcuffing the man and later placing the chain saw on the hood of a patrol car.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the LAPD’s Pacific Station at (310) 482-6334. Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
Twitter: @latvives
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