Robert Garcia

Police Say Mass Casualty Event Thwarted After Man Arrested for Making Threats Targeting Long Beach Marriott

A 37-year-old man who works as a chef at the Long Beach Marriott, allegedly told a coworker he had planned to shoot coworkers and guests at the Long Beach Marriott where they both work

A man accused of making a violent threat against a Long Beach hotel was found to have access to weapons and "had a plan" was arrested, Long Beach police announced Wednesday.

The Long Beach Police Department held a news conference to announce the arrest of the 37-year-old Huntington Beach resident Rodolfo Montoya.

Chief Robert Luna and Mayor Robert Garcia said if the threat hadn't been taken seriously, it could have resulted in a mass casualty incident.

Montoya, who works as a chef at the Long Beach Marriott, allegedly told a coworker he had planned to shoot coworkers and guests at the Long Beach Marriott where they both work. 

After Montoya made the threat, the employee contacted police who immediately started investigating. They determined he had access to weapons and ammunition. Police said Montoya was angry that he was facing disciplinary action at the hotel near the Long Beach Airport when he allegedly said he planned a shooting attack. 

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Chief Luna said the man "had clear plans" and "intent and means" to carry them out, which could have resulted in mass casualty incident.

"He was going to shoot at fellow employees and anyone in the hotel," Luna said.

When police searched his Huntington Beach home, they found a cache of weapons including tactical gear, an assault rifle, and ammunition. 

He was arrested on suspicion of manufacturing, distributing and possessing an assault weapons, and making a criminal threat.

He was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail, according to jail records. He has no prior criminal history, according to police. 

Several other cases of potential mass shootings being averted have made headlines in the wake of recent attacks in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, with two arrested in Florida and others taken into custody in Tennessee, Connecticut and Ohio.

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