Reports of gun-wielding man in Hemet lead to arrest

HEMET — A probationer who was reportedly seen waving a gun near a Hemet restaurant was arrested without incident after numerous Hemet police officers converged on the scene, Tuesday, Aug. 13. Although the weapon the man was seen with turned out to be a realistic-looking replica firearm, the alleged suspect was arrested for violation of probation.

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Nearly a dozen City of Hemet police officers and members of the department’s Crime Suppression Unit responded to Buffet City on the 1700 block of West Florida Ave., shortly before 3 p.m., after receiving reports of a man possibly armed with a gun, Hemet Police Lt. Nate Miller told RCNS in an email response to a request for further information and details about the incident and arrest.

When officers arrived in the area, they quickly located James Ventura Jr, 21, of Hemet, and detained the man at gunpoint, Miller and witnesses later reported.

Officers discuss an incident that led to the arrest of Hemet probationer, James Ventura. Robert Carter/Public Safety Incidents photo

“Ventura had a BB gun with him and was detained without incident,” Miller told RCNS. ” He had not threatened anyone with his BB gun, but was arrested for violation of probation.”

After his arrest, Ventura was booked into Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on suspicion of violating his probation. Online jail records indicate he remains in custody on $100,000 bail and is scheduled to be seen at an unspecified court tomorrow, Aug. 15.

“Our cops are amazing,” Jeffery Stout later told RCNS. “They arrived within minutes and took that guy down without any problems, but it was still a scary situation.”

“Thankfully, it was just a fake gun and none of our officers were hurt,” Stout continued. “But considering everything that has happened lately, like (CHP Officer Andre Moye) being killed just a few days ago, this could have turned out much worse. Our local officers and sheriffs really do a fantastic job in spite of all the dangers they face daily.”

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Robert Carter/Public Safety Incidents photos

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he currently writes for or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, the (now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.