Alleged fracas over smoking reportedly leads man to pull out pellet gun, Burbank police say
A Sun Valley man was arrested Wednesday afternoon after allegedly brandishing a pellet gun at several people, according to authorities.
Anthony Barraza, 23, was arrested on suspicion of attempted carjacking and making criminal threats.
The call came into the Burbank Police Department at around 2 p.m. about a man with a gun near the downtown Metrolink station, according to Sgt. Derek Green, a spokesman for the department.
He said officers in a helicopter spotted what appeared to be the man, later identified as Barraza, pulling a handgun on two security guards.
He was then seen getting into a minivan and leaving the area. Police were able to stop the vehicle and found it was a ride-share car unconnected to Barraza, according to Green.
“The suspect was detained, and a pellet gun was found, which resembled a real handgun,” he said. “The motive for the act appears to be an argument between the suspect and security guards over a smoking ordinance.”
Green said officers later discovered that Barraza had tried to get into a different vehicle by brandishing his pellet gun at the car’s occupants.
He is currently being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Twitter: @Andy_Truc
