The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
When a man accused of neglecting his canine was visited by an animal control officer, he allegedly detained her in his home and brandished weapons while threatening the lives of the police and his neighbors.
On October 8, Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control sent an officer to inspect a report about a man who might be failing to give proper care to his dog.
When the officer arrived, the man, identified as 43-year-old Brian Tran, did not appear to be home at the time. A short time after, the officer said Tran returned to the residence in his vehicle and she believed he drove the car in her direction in an attempt to display aggression.
Tran exited his vehicle and allegedly began to yell at the officer, expressing anger and an alleged vow of vengeance toward the neighbors who had called to report him.
The officer accompanied Tran into his home and reported that he stated his intention to murder the offending neighbors if they “want to be his enemy,” in addition to any other enemies he has, including the police.
The officer also alleged that Tran claimed himself “a warrior, a police officer, a soldier, and a sniper.”
After his alleged verbal expression, Tran reportedly took a gun and shot into the floor more than once, causing the officer to tell him that she did not require a visual inspection of the dog but that she needed to depart from the home.
Tran allegedly insisted the officer view his pet, and she reported that he pulled up his shirt to show her a sheathed knife on the waistband of his pants and placed his hands on her shoulders in a purportedly rough manner while leading her to the dog.
The officer said she was afraid he would kill her and she viewed the canine. She told Tran that his pet appeared to be fine, and reported that she said so due to her fear of his possible retaliation against her.
When the officer left Tran’s home she immediately called the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to let them know what she had experienced during her interaction with Tran.
Detectives conducted an interview with Tran in an effort to investigate the claim, and they reported that the man gave an admission to shooting into the floor, in addition to his making verbal threats in his agitated state at the time of the officer’s visit. He was reported as denying having put his hands on the officer and said that he did not threaten to kill her.
On October 25, Tran was booked into the county jail for suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping/false imprisonment, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. He was later released on bond.
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.