This undated photo provided by the San Jose Police Department shows an arsenal of guns seized from suspect Bryan Velasquez, of San Jose, Calif. (Courtesy of San Jose Police Department via AP)
OAN NEWSROOM
UPDATED 9:00 AM PT – Wednesday, May 25, 2022
Authorities in Northern California seized an arsenal of firearms from a man charged for cyberstalking his former co-workers. According to the San Jose Police Department, Bryan Valesquez was arrested Tuesday on felony stalking and weapon charges after being fired from a construction company back in January.
Police say he began harassing and threatening multiple co-workers following his termination from the company. After inspecting evidence, San Jose Police Chief Anthony Mata said he believes they prevented the worst from happening.
“There’s an individual that has animosity, hatred, anger toward others, and that was averted,” Mata said. “A mass shooting, I believe, was averted.”
During the arrest, police seized two AR pattern assault rifles, high capacity magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, tactical body armor as well as materials to make and assembles ghost guns.
“The goal of this prosecution it to fully disarm the individual,” said Supervising District Attorney Marisa McKeown. “The biggest success is that he be a convicted felon who can never posses a firearm in this state again.”
SJPD Arrests Suspect for Felony Stalkinghttps://t.co/PVvTe2zQcV
— San José Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) May 24, 2022
2/ Some of the firearms that were seized from the suspect using a gun violence restraining order. Click on the release for additional info. pic.twitter.com/J73mXzUdHL
— San José Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) May 24, 2022
Valesquez has since been released on $50,000 bail. If convicted on all counts he could spend up to six years in prison.