Man on Bus Bench with Loaded Gun and Pot in Pocket Busted by Palo Alto Police

A man reportedly carrying a loaded handgun and a jar of pot was arrested Saturday morning by Palo Alto police he tried unsuccessfully to run away from officers who were about to search him. 

At 9:32 a.m. Saturday, Palo Alto Police Department patrol officers contacted a man, Lester Courtney Bradshaw Jr., 33, from East Palo Alto, who was passed out on a bus depot bench at 95 University Ave., police said.

Officers noticed a jar containing marijuana sticking out of the man’s jacket pocket, according to police, and when they attempted to search him for additional marijuana, Bradshaw took off on foot.  

After about 15 yards, the suspect stumbled and fell. Officers struggled with him on the ground as he was reaching for his front waistband -- where cops discovered a loaded .22-caliber revolver in his front pants pocket, police said.
  
The weapon was not registered to the suspect, and in addition, police said Bradshaw is the subject of a restraining order prohibiting him from possessing a firearm. 

Police booked Bradshaw into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for felony counts of suspicion 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 as the 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. 

Anyone with information about this suspect or incident is asked to call Palo Alto police's 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413.

Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984.