Three guns seized during weekend
Three handguns were taken off the streets in three separate incidents that occurred within a 24-hour span during the weekend, Calexico Police Department announced Tuesday.
The first incident occurred at 9:25 p.m. Friday, when CPD received a call regarding a just-occurred carjacking of a taxi cab in the 900 block of Rivera Avenue.
The cab initially picked up two men in Brawley who wanted a ride to Calexico.
As soon as they arrived in Calexico, the passengers pulled out a handgun, stole the driver’s wallet, cell phone and cab, a CPD news release stated.
CPD officers searched for the cab and suspects throughout the night.
At 11:10 p.m., the cab was located in the 1200 block of P Rashid Street.
Officers canvassed the area and concluded that the suspects were in the area of the 700 block of H Ramos Avenue.
Officers contacted the city’s taxi company and told the company to notify the CPD if anyone in the area of Ramos asks for a taxi.
At 7:38 a.m. Saturday, a cab was called from the area, and a CPD officer road in the passenger’s seat of the cab as it went to pick up the fare.
When the cab arrived, the two suspects approached the cab. They were detained and arrested.
A gun and the victim cab driver’s property were found, as well as other evidence, the news release stated.
The suspects are two 17-year-old Brawley residents.
The two were booked on felony charges of conspiracy for robbery of a taxi and carjacking.
The second incident occurred at 4:23 a.m. Saturday when the CPD received a call reporting that shots had been fired at 621 Emilia Drive.
Officers responded to the residence, although the suspect had left the area prior to their arrival.
Officers were called back to the Emilia home at 11:35 a.m. They subsequently arrested Alfonso Alberto Alvarez, 24, and seized a black revolver.
Alvarez was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm, being a felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and obstruction.
The third incident occurred at 6:30 p.m. Saturday when CPD officers were dispatched to the area of Second Street and Paulin Avenue regarding a subject asleep in a vehicle.
Upon approaching the vehicle, officers noticed the driver appeared to be intoxicated. As they made contact with the driver, they also reportedly saw some ammunition lying near the foot pedals/floorboard area of the vehicle.
The driver, Mark A. Rivera, 58, was removed from the car, where police allegedly found a loaded 45-caliber pistol, a large knife, a cane sword, and syringes with possible heroin liquid in them, the news release stated.
Rivera was taken into custody and charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a loaded firearm, possession of a cane sword, possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest.