A large glass window at a business on Hunter Drive in Rohnert Park shattered last Saturday afternoon after a BB gun shot, sending officers on a search that ended with a high-risk stop and three juveniles detained. One teen was arrested and now faces felony vandalism and imitation firearm charges, while a replica Glock-style BB gun was recovered from the vehicle.
According to an official release from the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety, dispatch received a report in the early afternoon regarding an unknown suspect shooting at the commercial building before fleeing in a vehicle. Patrol units searched the area and, using photos from a witness who captured the suspect vehicle and its license plate along with the department’s automated license plate recognition camera system, located the car a short time later. Officers then conducted a high-risk vehicle stop in a parking lot on Arlen Drive, as first reported by NBC Bay Area.
Three juveniles were detained during the stop, and officers recovered the replica BB gun from inside the vehicle, per the outlet’s account. One juvenile was charged with felony vandalism and with displaying an imitation firearm in public, then booked into the Los Guilicos juvenile detention center. The station’s report does not specify what happened to the other two juveniles who were detained, and the estimated dollar cost of the window damage remains unclear.
Why a BB Gun Charge Can Turn Into a Felony
The imitation firearm charge stems from California Penal Code Section 20170, which makes it unlawful to openly display or expose any imitation firearm — including BB guns, toy guns, and replica firearms — in a public place, according to the Shouse Law Group. A first violation is typically just an infraction carrying a $100 fine, though it can escalate to a misdemeanor on repeat offenses…