Police found a stack of notes at a California residence that appeared to threaten a “violent incident” after a 20-year-old man allegedly attempted to enter a Catholic Church during Ash Wednesday mass while armed with a loaded gun.
Brian Richard Girardot Jr. was charged with possessing a firearm within a school zone, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California Eric Grant said in a press release. On Feb. 18, Girardot Jr. dropped his younger relative off at St. Mary Parish School, where he was previously a student, according to court documents. Girardot, Jr. returned at around 9:30 a.m. and walked onto the premises of St. Mary Catholic Church/St. Mary Parish School.
He allegedly attempted to enter Ash Wednesday mass, which began at 8:00 a.m., with a loaded firearm. The suspect had additional ammunition and a camouflage jacket in his nearby vehicle, according to the same release. An off-duty Sacramento police detective who was volunteering as a parent observer noticed Girardot Jr. attempting to enter the church and intervened before anyone was hurt, CBS News Sacramento reported. (RELATED: Man Left In Induced Coma Following Brawl Breaking Out At Chuck E. Cheese Birthday Party)
The off-duty detective located and removed the loaded handgun during the interaction and detained the suspect until authorities arrived, a spokesperson for the Sacramento Police Department told the Daily Caller.
Notes found in Girardot Jr.’s possession allegedly referenced violence, according to CBS News Sacramento. In addition, police found a stack of handwritten notes in the suspect’s bedroom that appeared to include threats to several individuals whose names were redacted.
“All of you are the reason I’ve done this,” read one note that was addressed to three of the suspect’s relatives, the outlet reported. Evidence, including the notes, appear to indicate Girardot Jr. was allegedly making “preparations for a violent incident,” prosecutors said.
Girardot Jr. was arraigned in Sacramento County court for possessing a firearm on school grounds as well as having a concealed firearm. He is slated to return to court Wednesday, CBS News Sacramento reported.
In a post shared to Facebook, St. Mary Parish School Principal Amy Hale confirmed the suspect had been arrested for attempting to enter Ash Wednesday mass with a weapon. Hale also said the Sacramento Police Department was “actively investigating” the incident.
“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. 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,” Hale said in the same post.
Besides the federal charge, Girardot Jr. has been charged criminally in state court, Grant’s press release stated. The suspect faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison if convicted.