Man with a replica rifle arrested after threatening people preparing for Azusa marathon

A Rancho Cucamonga man was arrested Saturday on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after he threatened people preparing to run a marathon in Azusa with a rifle that turned out to be a replica, police said.

The incident occurred about 4:45 a.m. around Citrus and Alosta avenues, where about a dozen people were preparing to board a bus for the start of the Revel Canyon City Marathon, Azusa police said.

The man appeared to be holding a rifle while circling the people in his black GMC truck, police said. He stopped, got out of the truck and pointed the rifle directly at the victims while making threats, then got back in and left.

Since several local police departments were assisting with marathon traffic, officers were quickly able to develop information that led police to Joseph Fierro, 51, in Rancho Cucamonga, police said.

He was detained at a residence and his vehicle was searched, police said. Officers found several replica firearms, pellets, magazines and other items.

Fierro was booked at Azusa police headquarters and was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail, police said. He has a court appearance set for Tuesday, according to sheriff’s inmate records.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at (626) 812-3200.