Police Hold Armed Man After Carjacking

A man who drew a loaded gun on police officers near Baldwin Park High School on Tuesday was arrested after he carjacked a vehicle and collided with several cars, authorities said.

Police first noticed the man, in his 20s, outside the school on North Puente Avenue about 3 p.m.

“It was obvious that he wasn’t a high school student or a parent,” said Capt. Stephen Bayne. “He appeared to be out of place, and officers wanted to know what he was doing there.”

Without speaking, the man began running, Bayne said. Officers had chased him for about 100 yards when he turned and pointed a handgun.

“He didn’t fire, nor did the officers, because there were so many kids around,” Bayne said. “At that point, the man puts the gun to his head and walks away. Then he carjacks a vehicle.”

School and Baldwin Park police chased the vehicle west on Badillo Street. At Ramona and Baldwin Park boulevards, the stolen car crashed into several others.

The suspect, who refused to identify himself to police, suffered moderate injuries; the other drivers had minor ones. Officers recovered a loaded .380-caliber handgun, police said.