FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — A 36-year-old man was arrested after causing a disturbance with a BB gun outside a Fort Walton Beach church with three children in his car, according to Fort Walton Beach Police.
Salvador Castro-Martinez is charged with three counts of Child Abuse, three counts of Aggravated Assault and one count of Improper Exhibition of a Weapon.
The incident happened Sunday around 3:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Destiny Worship Center on Hill Avenue.
According to police, church security called 911 reporting a man revving his vehicle’s engine, performing “burnouts,” and allegedly displaying what appeared to be a firearm in the presence of children inside his vehicle.
“Security staff reported that the individual, later identified as Salvador Castro-Martinez, was acting erratically,” police say in a release. “When instructed to leave the premises, Castro-Martinez exited his vehicle while holding what appeared to be a black AR-15-style rifle. Security personnel, armed and trained, confronted the suspect and reiterated the directive to vacate the property. Castro-Martinez then drove recklessly through the parking lot before stopping near the entrance.”
Upon police arrival, officers found Castro-Martinez seated in his vehicle with three toddler-aged children in the back seat.
“Officers swiftly de-escalated the situation, taking Castro-Martinez into custody without further incident and ensuring the safety of the children,” police say. “A subsequent investigation revealed that the firearm in question was a BB gun, indistinguishable from a functional firearm due to the absence of distinguishing markings.”
Castro-Martinez is being held in Okaloosa County Jail without bond.
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