Salinas man arrested for threatening students with weapon hidden in chip bag

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Salinas Police Department said they arrested a man near Washington Middle School after he brandished a handlebar that was shaped like a gun at three students.

Police received a call at 9:45 a.m. about an attempted robbery on Iverson Street at Geil Street.

Gerardo Simon Sanchez, 54, pulled what appeared to be a firearm from his waistband and pointed it at three students and told one of them to get off his bike, according to police.

The students fled from him.

A witness called 911 and told officers that a homeless man with a gun was threatening children near Salinas High School.

Police said they located a man matching the description given by the witness on Giel Street as Washington Middle School was on precautionary lockdown.

When officers approached Sanchez, he pulled out a weapon from his waistband and put it in a tortilla chip bag.

The firearm turned out to be a bicycle handlebar gooseneck cut to the size of a handgun.

Sanchez was arrested and booked into Monterey County jail and is facing attempted robbery charges.