An off-duty Sacramento police detective disarmed a man who carried a loaded handgun into a crowded Ash Wednesday Mass at St Mary’s Parish School, Sacramento police said.
The unnamed man is now in Sacramento County custody on weapons-related charges. Their motive or intent remain unknown, said Sacramento Police Department officials.
The detective, a parent attending the all-school Mass in a church at the parochial school in the 1300 block of 58th Street, noticed what police officials said was a suspicious person who asked to enter the building.
“He asked to go inside, he said he was there to attend Mass,” St. Mary’s parish principal Amy Hale said in a letter to families following the incident.
Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent, the 40 days of fasting and penance that lead to Easter Sunday.
The detective spoke to the man, noticed the firearm and confiscated it, detaining him until on-duty officers arrived, Officer Anthony Gamble, a department spokesman, said. Sacramento police continued to investigate the incident.
“Thankfully, nobody was injured,” said Officer Anthony Gamble, a department spokesman. “We are extremely grateful for our off-duty detective’s keen eye, instinct and dedication to protecting our community.”
St. Mary’s school leaders said the quick actions prevented a potential crisis and that students, unaware of the incident, returned to their classrooms after Mass ended.
“Thanks to the vigilance and professionalism of our parent volunteers, our children remained safely inside the church for the duration of Mass and a potential crisis was averted,” Hale said. “No students came into contact with the man, and were unaware of the situation happening outside. After Mass the children were escorted back to class.”
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The Sacramento Bee
Darrell Smith is a local reporter for The Sacramento Bee. He joined The Bee in 2006 and previously worked at newspapers in Palm Springs, Colorado Springs and Marysville. Smith was born and raised at Beale Air Force Base and lives in Elk Grove.