Police: Man arrested in Salinas for brandishing gun, child endangerment
SALINAS, Calif. (KION) Salinas police say a man has been arrested for pointing a gun at a driver and child endangerment.
At around 7:20 p.m. Sunday, police say a 20-year-old was in a fight and shoving match with his ex-girlfriend while she held a baby in front of a restaurant on N. Main Street near Northridge Mall.
A Door Dash driver saw what was happening and told the man to leave the woman alone, but police said the man pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed it at the driver while threatening the shooter.
Police say the man drove away and headed north on N. Main Street in a black Infiniti. He was seen driving erratically but was lost by officers. The vehicle was eventually found in front of a grocery store on N. Main near Iris Drive, but he was not in it.
Officers said the store manager met officers outside and said there was a man with a gun in the produce aisle. The manager started evacuating employees and customers, and that is when police said the suspect tried to walk past them and out the door, but they identified him because he was wearing some clothing that matched the description and a tattoo on his face. Customers also identified him as the suspect.
In the store, police said they found the gun in the produce section and articles of clothing throughout the store.
The suspect was detained and arrested. Police said they learned during the investigation that he was a gang member from Compton. He was booked into the Monterey County Jail for alleged assault with a gun, brandishing a gun, child endangerment and other gang and gun-related charges.
