A 25-year-old Santa Barbara man was arrested Thursday after he allegedly brandished a replica submachine gun at a bicyclist, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department.
The incident occurred shortly before 8 a.m. at Garden and Micheltorena streets, said Sgt. Riley Harwood.
A 36-year-old Santa Barbara man was cycling eastbound on Micheltorena when Aaron Matthew Perez pulled a BB gun — a replica Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun — from his parked car, “and with a smirk on his face pointed it at the victim,” Harwood said.
After the victim rode away, Perez put the gun back in his car, Harwood said.
The victim called police, and the first officer arrived within 90 seconds and detained Perez at gunpoint, Harwood said.
“The victim conducted a citizen’s arrest of Perez for the crime of brandishing, necessary because the offense is a misdemeanor that was not committed in the officers’ presence,” Harwood said.
Perez was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail, with bail set at $2,500.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.