A man has been arrested after allegedly punching three players during a girls’ high school basketball game in Corona, California, and then pulling a gun on other students, according to police.
Thaddis Brooks, 39, of Perris, was arrested Thursday in connection with a Jan. 24 confrontation at Centennial High School, according to police.
A Man Was Arrested After Allegedly Punching 3 High School Girls And Threatening To Shoot 2 Students(ESPN)
Witnesses said two students from the teams got into a fight on the court during a game against visiting Santiago High School, according to a police statement.
According to police Sgt. Jason Waldon, Brooks, who was watching the game and was related to one of the players, left the stands, went onto the court, and injured three girls, ages 16 and 17.
He was restrained and exited the gymnasium, but went to the parking lot and retrieved a handgun from his car, according to police.
He threatened to shoot some female students aged 13 to 17, but fled before police arrived, according to Waldon.
Police searched his home on Thursday. They didn’t find any guns, but they did find more than 40 dogs. Officers from animal control “determined there were animal cruelty factors present due to the conditions of the residence,” according to a police statement.
Brooks was charged with making criminal threats, brandishing a deadly weapon, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing a firearm on school grounds, and child abuse.
He remained in jail on $350,000 bail on Saturday. It wasn’t immediately clear whether he had an attorney representing him.
According to court records, Brooks has a lengthy criminal history that includes pleas to drug possession, battery causing serious bodily harm, and making criminal threats.
