Potential Las Vegas-style mass shooting in Hollywood thwarted by LAPD
Several high-powered assault weapons, a sniper rifle, a thousand rounds of ammunition and a camouflaged bulletproof vest were confiscated when the suspect Braxton Johnson was arrested.
The Los Angeles Police Department believes it stopped a man in the planning stages of a mass shooting similar to the 2017 Las Vegas massacre that killed 60 people and wounded over 400 more.
Loaded assault rifles and a sniper rifle were pointed out of an 18th-floor window of a Hollywood high-rise with an "unobstructed view" of crowds below, but police made an arrest Tuesday before a single shot could be fired.
Several high-powered rifles, a sniper rifle, a shotgun, handguns and a more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition were recovered during the execution of search warrant in the Lumina Hollywood apartment, according to police.
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Braxton Johnson, a 25-year-old resident of Los Angeles, was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department after allegedly making criminal threats on Jan. 31, 2023. (Los Angeles Police Department )
The suspect, who's been identified as 25-year-old Braxton Johnson, was arrested.
"The suspect was located on the 18th floor of an apartment building with large windows with a non-obstructed view of a public park downstairs, and some of the rifles were pointed outside the windows," LAPD Lt. Leon Tsap said during a press conference.
A photo shared by the LAPD showed the vast cache of weapons, ammo and body armor sprawled out on a large, rectangular table.
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Braxton Johnson was arrested by Los Angeles police after they said he threatened to carry out a mass shooting at the high-rise at 1522 Gordon St. in Hollywood on Jan. 31, 2023. (Google )
Police first came in contact with Johnson Tuesday night after they received calls about a man having a mental health crisis and making criminal threats, according to the LAPD.
The weapons were found a day later after they executed a search warrant.
Gunman Stephen Paddock fired at a Las Vegas concert from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino on Oct. 1, 2017, killing 58 people. (Getty Images)
"One of the biggest things to take away from it, and from what we're seeing here, is that members of the public was seeing something out of the ordinary and actually contact the police (and) trusting the police that we're going to come out and work with them together and bring that to a safe close," Lt. Tsap said.
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The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case to determine if charges will be filed.
There was no immediate update Thursday morning on the DA's decision.
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