Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A man accused of brandishing a handgun at a train operator was located and arrested July 19.

The incident unfolded on the Metro A-Line tracks between Irwindale and Azusa. The train operator saw the suspect and a companion on the tracks. The operator sounded the horn at the duo.

“When the operator activated the train horn to alert the suspect to move, the suspect pulled a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at the operator,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Transit Services Bureau.

The suspect fled the area, but was later located, identified and arrested, according to the Transit Services Bureau.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - Is that a rifle in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? A parole was caught with his pants down, so to speak, and arrested on suspicion of weapons possession Tuesday.

Police were called to the 200 block of South Murray Avenue around 6:50 p.m. June 3 to investigate a report of a man concealing a rifle in his pants, according to the Azusa Police Department.

Officers spoke to three people at nearby Gladstone Park, 340 S. Pasadena Ave. Two of those people were determined to be on parole.

“During the investigation, Officers located the rifle in the restroom at Gladstone Park and the magazine for the rifle was in one of the subject’s possession,” according to the Azusa Police Department in a written statement.

Joseph Lucero, a 24-year-old El Monte man, was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm among other firearm related violations.

Arturo Esquivel, a 29-year-old West Covina man, was arrested for violation of his parole.

Anyone with additional information is urged to call the Azusa Police Department at 626-812-3200. Remain anonymous by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-888-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.

**********
​The arrest record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Arrest information is public record and was distributed by government sources. The person named in this article has only been arrested on suspicion of the crime(s) listed and is presumed innocent.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A teen gang banger is facing a slew of charges after attempting to ditch his firearm while running from police March 27.

The teen gangbanger ran from a vehicle which refused to initially stop for police who sought the driver for a vehicle code violation near Arrow Highway and Citrus Avenue around 7:50 p.m. Monday, according to the Azusa Police Department.

The vehicle stopped outside of 717 E. Arrow Hwy. before the teen ran.

“A male passenger fled from the front passenger seat and ran from officers while visibly holding a firearm in his hands. As an Azusa Police Officer gave chase, the suspect threw the firearm nearby and he was safely detained,” according to the Azusa Police Department in a written statement.

The teen was booked on suspicion of firearms related charges, including resisting delaying, or obstructing a peace officer.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - An anonymous tipster notified Azusa High School staff and Azusa police about a student armed with a handgun on campus Friday.

The anonymous tipster notified Azusa High School staff to report a student in possession of a handgun on the campus, 240 N. Cerritos Ave., March 3. An investigation by the Azusa Police Department and school administrators led to two students being arrested.

“AUSD policy, and state law, consider the possession of a gun on a school campus to be a serious disciplinary matter as well as a criminal matter, and the situation is being handled as such,” according to the Azusa Unified School District in written statement.

The district is unwilling to share further details due to privacy laws and the ongoing investigation.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

SACRAMENTO - A substantial cache of weapons and ammunition were seized from a Azusa man’s home January 25.

The unidentified man is prohibited from possessing firearms under the state’s Armed and Prohibited Persons System database. Seized were four machine guns, seven assault weapons, a short-barreled rifle, four suppressors/silencers, six handguns, one shotgun, four rifles, 54 lower receivers/frames, 41 standard capacity magazines, 87 large-capacity magazines, and approximately 35,000 rounds of miscellaneous ammunition, according to the DOJ’s office.

Agents initially intended to seize one weapon in question from the suspect, but then discovered the large cache of additional weapons and ammunition after serving a search warrant, according to the DOJ’s office.

The DOJ arrested the man and brought felony charges against him.

The man initially refused to allow agents from the DOJ’s Bureau of Firearms into his home, but agents obtained a search warrant.

The suspect was charged by DOJ’s Criminal Law Division with multiple felonies, including unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of an assault weapon, intentional conversion of a firearm into a machine gun, possession of a machine gun, unlawful assault weapon activity, unlawful manufacture or possession of a short-barreled rifle or shotgun, unlawful possession of ammunition, and possession of a silencer. He was arraigned February 17 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Pomona, according to the DOJ.

“This arrest demonstrates exactly why the Armed and Prohibited Persons system is vital for the safety of our communities,” said Attorney General Bonta. “In our efforts to retrieve just one gun from a prohibited individual, we found dozens of illegal weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition. I am grateful for our Bureau of Firearms agents’ work in getting these illegal weapons out of the hands of this prohibited individual.”

AZUSA – A teen was jailed September 23, accused of running during a traffic stop and dropping a handgun during his escape.

A traffic stop was made during a specialized crime suppression operation in the 300 block of North Citrus Avenue. The vehicle sought by officers stopped in a parking lot and the teen fled.

“A male juvenile ran from the vehicle as he tried to remove a handgun from his person. Officers chased the suspect and witnessed the handgun fall from the suspect’s person,” according to the Azusa Police Department in a written statement.

The teen was caught and arrested, the handgun recovered. No one was injured.

AZUSA – Officers checking a suspicious vehicle discovered nine pounds of methamphetamine and a concealed loaded handgun, the Azusa Police Department said.

The suspicious vehicle was found in the 1200 block of West Foothill Boulevard at 4:57 p.m. May 19. The vehicle’s passenger was armed with the loaded handgun, according to the Azusa Police Department.

​Two Los Angeles men were arrested.

Driver, Roberto Romero, 41, and passenger Jesus Quiroz, 31, were arrested and booked on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine for sale and transporting methamphetamine for sale. Quiroz was additionally booked on suspicion of possessing a loaded handgun while in possession of methamphetamine, according to the Azusa Police Department.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A pursuit suspect was jailed Friday morning after fleeing Azusa officers both in the vehicle and on foot.

Danilo Gonzalez, 36, led officers on a very brief chase after he allegedly committed a vehicle code violation in the area of First Street and Cerritos Avenue around 3:37 a.m. July 16. The driver fled on foot after reportedly crashing into a parked vehicle, according to the Azusa Police Department.

The crash occurred in the area Fondale Street and Cedarglen Drive.

Gonzalez allegedly suffered what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, possibly as he discarded the firearm, the Azusa Police Department said in a written statement.

It is not clear Saturday night if he did in fact suffer a gunshot wound. The arrest and booking times, as well as the time Gonzalez was released, does not reflect any hospitalization duration.

Gonzalez was reportedly issued a citation and release at 4:40 a.m. the morning of the pursuit, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Gonzalez was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, evading arrest and several other weapons-related charges, the Azusa Police Department said.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA – A vehicle code violation led to a traffic stop and the discovery of numerous weapons, some un-serialized and unregistered, police said.

The traffic stop was made in the 500 block of East Gladstone Street March 2 around 2 a.m. The officer saw high capacity firearm magazines and ammunition inside the vehicle, including unregistered and un-serialized hand guns, and one unregistered and un-serialized AR-15 assault rifle, according to the Azusa Police Department.

21-year-old Aaron Quinton Scruggs, a Los Angeles man, was booked on suspicion of possession of loaded, concealed, and unregistered firearms, possession of an unregistered assault weapon, and several other weapon offenses.

Scruggs was freed after posting $35,000 bond the same day of his arrest. He had a scheduled appearance in the West Covina courthouse March 4, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

AZUSA - Police recovered a loaded handgun and narcotics after a gang member tried to flee Saturday.

21-year-old Alvaro Ruben Gomez was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a loaded firearm, possession of narcotics and delaying, obstructing and resisting an officer, according to the Azusa Police Department.

Gomez allegedly walked across the street against a red light at Soldano Avenue and Foothill Boulevard just after 8 p.m. An officer reportedly witnessed Gomez creating a traffic hazard and recognized him as a gang member, according to the Azusa Police Department.

“During the foot pursuit, the male suspect discarded a loaded firearm from his person, as well as illegal narcotics prior to being detained,” Azusa Police said.

Gomez also had a warrant for a parole violation.

Gomez, a Rancho Cucamonga man, has a history with Azusa Police.

On December 26, 2020 and January 9, 2021, Gomez was arrested by Azusa Police on suspicion of illegally possessing a firearm.

“During that investigation [January 9], suspect Gomez told officers, any time he is in the City of Azusa, he will be armed,” according to the Azusa Police Department.

Gomez is being held without bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in the West Covina courthouse Tuesday, February 9.