Salinas man detained after shooting threat toward Hartnell College
UPDATE 9/29/15 1 6:00 pm: The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said a man accused of threatening a shooting at Hartnell College is still being held on a mental health hold.
Deputies said Cary Palmer, 56, is being held at Natividad Medical Center, where behavioral health representatives are performing that evaluation.
Deputies did a welfare check at Palmer’s home in Prunedale Saturday, after Palmer’s brother called for help. Deputies said Palmer left a threatening voice mail with a family member, and mentioned shooting the college, where the 56-year-old takes classes.
During a search of Palmer’s home, deputies said they discovered an arsenal of 8 weapons. All of those weapons are legal in California, and registered to Palmer, according to investigators.
Based on Palmer’s history of mental health illness, they decided to take him to Natividad, and confiscate all of the weapons.
Mental health professionals at Natividad Medical Center applaud the brother for making the call. Now, Palmer will leave the hospital with resources for help.
As for the guns, there is a state law that makes it possible for him to get the weapons back. But the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday, it’s unlikely a judge would let that happen now.
Palmer has one prior misdemeanor charge on his record, deputies said.
Hartnell College said it was not notified by the Sheriff’s Office about the threat on Saturday.
PREVIOUS STORY: Deputies said a shooting may have prevented at Hartnell College after a family member reported the threat.
On Saturday, deputies conducted a welfare check on Cary Daniel Palmer, 56, after he left a voicemail to a family member mentioning a shooting the college. Palmer was interviewed at his home on the 9000 block of King Road in Salinas and deputies said they determined he was a threat to others.
Several weapons from his home including two high-powered rifles with attached scopes, a “AR-style” assault riffle, a tactical shotgun, three handguns, a compound bow and 905 rounds of ammunition, deputies said.
Palmer was not arrested but is being held by authorities while his mental health is being evaluated.
The case was handed to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office for review and possible prosecution.
