Los Angeles police officers seized several high-powered weapons from a man accused of making criminal threats Tuesday, averting what authorities believe could have been a mass shooting in the planning stages.
Police say Braxton Johnson, 24, was arrested in Hollywood after officers responded to a report of a possible man with mental illness acting erratically.
Braxton was arrested on a complaint of making criminal threats, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
A search warrant was then served at the Lumina Hollywood, 1522 Gordon St., where officers recovered several high-powered rifles, shotguns, handguns and a “large cache of various munitions.”
A man was arrested and a large cache of weapons were recovered in Hollywood on Jan. 31, 2023. (Los Angeles Police Department)
“The suspect was located on the 18th floor of an apartment building with large windows with a view, with a non-obstructed view of a public park, downstairs, and some of the rifles were pointed outside of the windows,” LAPD Lt. Leon Tsap said.
Photos shared by the Police Department showed several weapons, including a rifle with a scope and a set of camouflage body armor.
Johnson recently moved into the apartment from out of town, according to police.
Authorities also said Johnson had been threatening people outside the location and credited vigilant neighbors for speaking up about the 24-year-old, preventing what they believe could have been a mass attack.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office will review the case to determine if charges will be formally filed.
No additional details were released by the police.
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