Atascadero Junior High placed on temporary lockdown while police searched for brandishing suspect

ATASCADERO, Calif. -- Atascadero police arrested a firearm brandishing suspect on Monday afternoon.

On Monday at around 1:50 p.m., Atascadero police officers responded to reports of a man with a rifle entering the creek behind the Atascadero Junior High School.

Officers arrived on scene and found that the suspect had approached a resident on Capistrano Avenue while holding what they say appeared to be a rifle.

Police say the suspect then fled into the creek bed.

The Atascadero Junior High School and Atascadero Unified District Office placed a lockdown due to the closeness of the incident.

Officers established a perimeter and began a search for the suspect in the creek.

Officers were able to find the suspect who admitted to possessing a BB gun rifle.

Police then located the BB gun rifle.

During the incident, an Atascadero resident called police saying that their kids came into contact with a man brandishing a rifle at them earlier while they were playing outside near the area of the scene.

Officers says the man they made contact with is the same man that brandished the rifle to the kids.

The man was arrested and booked into San Luis Obispo County Jail for brandishing a firearm, probation violation and a warrant.

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