Baguio gun-snatching vagrant to face charges

BAGUIO CITY — A vagrant male is facing charges of direct assault and illegal discharge of a firearm after grabbing a service weapon from a police officer in Baguio City.

The incident occurred on T. Alonzo St. in the city following the Grand Float Parade. The suspect, a 29-year-old man from Santiago, Isabela, is reportedly a vagrant currently under medication for his mental health. He allegedly targeted a 39-year-old female member of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO).

During the chase, the man cocked the firearm and attempted to shoot at pursuing officers. Police Major Salvador Anas, chief of BCPO Station 7, stated that the suspect fired the weapon, but the bullet struck the pavement. The projectile ricocheted, causing a minor graze wound to the suspect's abdomen.

Despite the injury, the man continued to flee toward Lower Magsaysay. His escape was eventually halted when a motorcycle rider blocked his path, allowing officers to apprehend him. The suspect received immediate first aid from the Baguio City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office before being transported to a local hospital for further medical treatment.

Investigators confirmed that the individual is not a resident of the city and remains in police custody pending the formal filing of criminal charges.