A 35-year-old man on probation with a warrant out for his arrest was behind bars Monday on suspicion of using various weapons to threaten and assault people inside an Irwindale convenience store after becoming upset about an empty soda machine.
Edger Morelos, of Baldwin Park, was inside the ampm store at 15875 Arrow Highway about 4:30 p.m. Sunday and became upset about its empty soda machine, according to Sgt. Rudy Gatto of the Irwindale Police Department.
Morelos allegedly "produced a hammer and began to threaten several employees" and "armed himself with a large kitchen knife, which he brandished and swung at the employees," Gatto said.
Morelos also allegedly kicked a victim in the chest, causing him to fall, then struck him on his hands and arms multiple times with the hammer, and then used a stun gun-type device to assault another victim before fleeing on a bicycle, according to Gatto.
Police located Morelos nearby and arrested him, Gatto said. They found on him a "construction-type claw hammer, a kitchen knife with a 5.5-inch blade and a metal flashlight with an integrated electric stun device."
Morelos was booked for assault with a deadly weapon, battery, exhibiting a deadly weapon, assault with a stun gun device, possession of drug paraphernalia and being a convicted felon in possession of a stun gun device, according to Gatto. He is being held on $115,000 bail.
