Full Notification

On May 16, 2018, at about 07:08 AM officers with the Anderson Police Department responded to the 1600 block of Mill Street for a report of an adult male, who had just brandished a handgun.

Upon arrival, officers contacted the reporting party, who advised he had honked his horn at a vehicle partially blocking his driveway. The sole occupant of the vehicle, later identified as Richard Lafond, age 58, of Anderson, did not take kindly to the honk, and brandished a black handgun. Lafond fled on foot to a nearby residence and the reporting party, fearing for his life, immediately called 9-1-1 for help.

Anderson Middle School was placed on lockdown due to its close proximity to the incident location. Officers quickly setup a perimeter around the residence and made several announcements over a patrol vehicle loud speaker.

Three people exited the residence, one of which being Lafond, who was positively identified by the victim. Lafond was taken into custody without any further incident and Anderson Middle School was taken off lockdown.

Lafond told officers he did not have a handgun but did have an Airsoft pistol under the front seat of his vehicle. The Airsoft pistol was completely black and had no orange markings to indicate it was not real. Lafond was transported to Shasta County Jail and booked for drawing or exhibiting an imitation firearm.