A Sylmar man has been arrested after allegedly issuing a fake story to the police claiming that he had information about a mass shooting that would take place at the Los Angeles County Fair on Saturday.
Just before 3:00 pm on Friday, the Pomona Police Department was notified by Fairplex, where the Los Angeles County Fair is currently taking place, and told of an email they reportedly received from someone who said they had been made aware that a mass shooting would occur at the fair on Sunday.
In a matter of hours, the Pomona police and the FBI worked together and identified three people who could be possible suspects that they believed may have been responsible for sending the email warning to the Fairplex.
When they traced the digital route of the email, the authorities reported that 22-year-old Erik Villasenor from Sylmar appeared to be the party who issued the warning about the possibility of violence at the fair.
On Saturday, the police showed up at Villasenor’s home and discussed the digital communication with him, explaining that their investigation led them to believe he was the person that sent it.
In what the police chief called “kind of a crazy thing,” the authorities have purported that Villasenor not only sent the email but did so in an attempt to create public hype so he could use it as a reason to escape attending the event with his parents.
Villasenor was taken into custody and booked into the Pomona County Jail for suspicion of making false threats. He is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail.
The Fairplex has reported that $200,000 was added to their security budget this year as keeping people safe is the “number one priority,” and that they hope people won’t be kept from enjoying themselves due to the incident.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.