Crime & Safety
El Cerrito Police Draw Taser Guns in Arrest at Trader Joe's
After an argument at Peet's, El Cerrito resident was chased by police into Trader Joe's.
El Cerrito resident Reginald Johnson was arrested Sunday at in El Cerrito Plaza after a chase by El Cerrito police officers from on San Pablo Avenue. He was charged with making threats, brandishing a weapon and resisting a police officer.
The incident started at approximately 8:30 a.m. when a man got into a verbal argument with a Peet's employee. According to Det. Corp. Gilbert Tang of the , the man brandished a weapon at the manager during the argument. Tang said he was not at liberty to disclose the type of weapon that was used.
The employee called El Cerrito Police and when they arrived, the man ran in the direction of El Cerrito Plaza. The police caught up with Johnson at Trader Joe's where they told him to get down and pulled out taser guns at which point some shoppers fled the store.
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The taser guns were not used and police took hold of the suspect who resisted being walked to the police car. Police were forced to carry him out of the store and Johnson was immediately taken to Contra Costa County Jail in Martinez.
Employees of Peet's and Trader Joe's were not available for comment on the incident.
