Pomona Gunplay Down, Police Say

Many Pomona residents decided to put away the guns and automatic weapons this New Year, authorities said.

Pomona Police Lt. Larry Todd said Wednesday the department received about 30 telephone calls from residents who saw or heard neighbors fire their guns on New Year’s Eve. The department usually receives about 100 such reports, he said.

“There was a lot of media hype prior to New Year’s Eve--newsreel clippings from last year showing the LAPD . . . and warning (New Year gunfire) was a felony,” Todd said. “That got a lot of people’s attention.”

Pomona police for the first time followed up eyewitnesses’ gunfire reports with search warrants Tuesday morning, and arrested three men at a house in the 900 block of East 6th Street, Todd said. In past years, officers made arrests only at the scene immediately after gunshots were heard.

Arrested were: Jorge Garcia Vega, 32, of Macfarlane, Calif.; Carmen Ramos, 46, of Pomona, and Jose Ventura Hernandez, 43, of Los Angeles. Officers recovered two 45-caliber handguns and one 9-millimeter handgun at the house, Todd said.