Torrance woman aims gun at beach goers
Several beach goers detained a gun-wielding Torrance woman who allegedly pointed what authorities said looked like a .45-caliber handgun at people on the beach, including children, until police arrived and arrested her for assault with a deadly weapon, authorities said.
Police said that shortly before 10 a.m. on April 15, the suspect, Alena Tam, 40, clad in camouflaged vest and pants, blatantly pointed what turned out to be an unloaded BB gun at passersby on The Strand and the sand at Marine Avenue.
No one was injured.
“It was very real looking,” said Manhattan Beach Police Detective Michael Rosenberger. “She was leveling it and aiming at people walking on the sand toward the beach and bicyclists on the bike path. One victim said that, at first, she thought it was a squirt gun because she couldn’t believe someone was pointing a real gun.”
After several witnesses called police and told Tam that authorities were on their way, she placed the gun in a small pouch and started to walk away until Redondo Beach couple Marcus and Liza Torres stopped her, authorities said.
“They said ‘You’re not leaving. You better stay here,’” Rosenberger said.
After Liza Torres tried to take the pouch from Tam, a “wrestling match” ensued, during which several other witnesses jumped in to help and detained Tam until police arrived and arrested her.
“She said nothing and refused to talk. She had to be carried to the jail,” Rosenberger said.
Tam was taken to the psychiatric ward at Harbor UCLA Medical Center in Torrance for evaluation. Her case will be presented to the district attorney’s office for review in upcoming weeks.
“An assault with a deadly weapon charge is probably a stretch since it wasn’t a real gun,” said Rosenberger, who noted that BB guns don’t qualify as fire arms under state law. He said, however, that Tam could possibly be charged with brandishing a weapon in a threatening manner.
Rosenberger said that residents were instrumental in catching the suspect.
“Ten or 20 years ago, the rule was ‘don’t get involved,’” Rosenberger said. “In this case, the woman had put the gun away…It’s a tough judgment call. Sometimes citizens are the ones right there. The fact that Mrs. Torres did what she did shows she is a concerned citizen.” ER