Full Notification

Suspect Arrested After Making Criminal Threats and Brandishing a Deadly Weapon
 
Officers located the suspect at a nearby apartment complex, where he was safely taken into custody based on established probable cause.
 
San Mateo, CA – On August 19, 2026, at 3:10 p.m., San Mateo Police Department (SMPD) officers responded to the 400 block of Peninsula Avenue on a report of a knife brandishing. Officers spoke with the victim and learned the victim had been walking in the area when the driver and sole occupant of a gray four-door Honda sedan, later identified as Joe Medina, began yelling at people nearby. Medina allegedly turned his attention toward the victim, stopped his vehicle, and exited while carrying and waving a kitchen knife. Medina then threatened to kill the victim. The victim, who had never seen Medina before, was able to run to a nearby business and report the incident.
 
With the assistance of the SMPD Real Time Information Center (RTIC) and Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program, officers located Medina and his vehicle at a nearby apartment complex. Based on probable cause established during the investigation, Medina was arrested for criminal threats and brandishing a deadly weapon other than a firearm. Medina was transported to the San Mateo County Jail, where he was booked on the charges.
 
We continue to rely on our community’s support in reporting crimes and serving as good witnesses. If you witness a crime, contact police immediately. Try to remain as calm as possible and answer dispatchers’ questions thoroughly. Remember details such as the suspect’s appearance, clothing, distinguishing features, and direction of travel. Once officers arrive on scene, cooperate fully and provide all available information. Your observations can greatly assist officers in conducting a thorough investigation.
 
ARRESTED
Joe Medina, 36-year-old San Mateo resident
 
CHARGES:
PC 422 (A)-Criminal Threats, PC 417 (A) (1)-Brandishing a Deadly Weapon not a Firearm