Police Hold Man After Gunfire Hits Station
A Pacoima man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of firing a shotgun at the San Fernando police station, police said.
John Michael Whitmer, 34, is being held in San Fernando City Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail, Detective Ernie Halcon said. Police said he expressed frustration with the Internal Revenue Service, his ex-wife and the police after his arrest. His arraignment is tentatively set for Thursday, Halcon said.
A few minutes before the Sunday shooting, Whitmer had spoken with a police dispatcher at the station, became angry and made threatening statements before leaving, Halcon said.
“He drove around the police station a couple of times, and, when he didn’t see anybody, he fired a shot at it,” Halcon said. “He said he didn’t mean to hurt anybody.”
Shotgun pellets hit the brick wall outside the station and put a hole in the front window, but the dispatcher and a sergeant inside were protected by a bullet-proof glass partition, Halcon said.
Police took Whitmer in for questioning after spotting him driving about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, Halcon said. Police later recovered a shotgun and ammunition in a room that Whitmer rented in a mobile home just outside the city, Halcon said.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
