A 33-year-old man allegedly in possession of a loaded handgun was chased down by Palo Alto police Saturday after he tried to run away from officers who were about to search him, according to police.
Lester Courtney Bradshaw, Jr., of East Palo Alto was passed out on a bench at the bus depot at 95 University Ave. when police approached him on Saturday, March 15, at 9:32 a.m. Officers noticed a jar they said contained marijuana sticking out of his jacket pocket. When police approached him to search for additional marijuana, Bradshaw ran away from the officers, who then chased him, police said.
Bradshaw stumbled and fell after running about 15 yards. Officers struggled with him on the ground as he was reaching for his front waistband, but they were able to take him into custody safely. They found a loaded .22-caliber revolver in his front pants pocket. Police said the weapon was not registered to Bradshaw. He also has a restraining order against him that prohibits him from possessing a firearm.
Bradshaw was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for felony counts of possessing a loaded firearm with a prior felony conviction, possessing a firearm while subject to a restraining order, possession of a firearm by a narcotics user, and possessing a firearm without being the listed, registered owner. Police also booked him for one misdemeanor count of resisting arrest.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office will review the case, and any applicable charges related to the marijuana possession may be added at a later date.
Go PAPD! I admire your courage at even approaching people like this.
I am sure that there is a story behind Mr. Bradshaw, and it is a sad one. He does not seem to be having a great life, and he seems to have just made it worse. Still, his actions are his own, and if his having a great life means others of us must suffer for his actions, then I do not see many alternatives to what has happened. The biggest questions in my mind are how do we stop young people from following the type of path that got Mr. Bradshaw where he is today? How do we steer them to more productive and law abiding lives? Where are the decisions Mr. Bradshaw made in his past that lead him here and why did he make them? How do we stop young people from wasting their lives?
Impossible! There was a gun buy back in East Palo Alto just a few months ago!
Good job PAPD getting this guy safely off our streets!
Just think if there were no gun laws. This guy would likely have never been arrested and would be walking/staggering the streets today.
Happy to see a peaceful resolution of this situation. I am so happy he didn’t try to take that handgun from his pocket as the outcome likely would have been very different. I would suspect the reason he ran in the first place was his knowledge that he’d be facing prison time for being a felon carrying a handgun. And kudos to the PAPD for apprehending him without anyone being harmed.
“Just think if there were no gun laws. This guy would likely have never been arrested and would be walking/staggering the streets today.”
Imagine that concealed carry laws were allowed. This perp would have no particular reason to carry a gun, since he would never know who would shoot back. When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.
BTW, good job PAPD. Too bad you have to face these thugs.
I truly want to thank the officers for your being able to subdue and arrest my son without any harm to him or yourselves. It is true that he is not having the best life that he could, but maybe be the Grace of God, he has another chance.I am fully aware that these events can end in great tragedy. So my family and my sons four children are very grateful to the officers that arrested my son that morning.thank you, and God Bless you!
I agree with Sylvia. I’m glad that no one was hurt! Mom of this young man – hang in there. The post you wrote is really graceful and thoughtful.
MOM- I Appreciate Your Kind Words And Hope Your Son Can Change His Life For The Positive. You Seem Like A Great Mother.
I sincerely hope Lester will be able to turn his life around. He is a handsome young man. Mom: my heart goes out to you. You are so gracious to thank the police. I too thank them for an injury free resolution.
I didn’t think I would be back on this comment page,ever. But something brought me back here, and I see why. Your words have been healing to a broken heart. The tears I now shead are heartfelt. Hmmm, thank u for your encouraging words. Conservative, you are a blessing to our community! And your thoughts are so kind. And ChrisC, your comments are proof that humanity is alive and doing just find. Thank you!
> So my family and my sons four children are very grateful to the officers that arrested my son that morning.
utterly speechless
Must be true, it’s on the internet.