CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Friday Clearlake Police detectives arrested a city resident found to be armed with concealed knives and a sawed off shotgun.
Van Michael Null, 29, was arrested for several weapons charges, according to Det. Ryan Peterson.
Peterson said that just before 10:30 a.m. Friday and and Det. Elvis Cook were conducting an investigation in the area of the Dollar Tree, located at 14804 Olympic Drive, when they observed Null walking in an open lot toward the parking lot of the Dollar Tree with a large backpack.
Peterson said he and Cook decided to stop and conduct a consensual contact of Null. As they asked to speak to him, Peterson observed what he believed to be a concealed knife under Null’s shirt and ordered him to stop.
Null stopped and appeared to reach for the suspected knife, and Peterson said he quickly grabbed a hold of Null to prevent him from grabbing the suspected knife.
Cook then moved to the front of Null and observed he also had a concealed 6-inch fixed-blade knife and a Winchester 20-gauge single shot short barrel shotgun, commonly referred to as a sawed off shotgun, with a front and rear pistol grip concealed under his clothing. Cook then alerted Peterson about those additional weapons, according to Peterson's report.
Peterson said Cook removed the firearm and knife from Null, who was taken into custody without incident.
The shotgun was determined to be loaded with a single 20-gauge shotgun shell, Peterson said.
Van Null was placed under arrest and a further search incident to arrest was conducted of Null and his backpack, with Peterson reporting that Null was found to be in possession of an additional 20 live 20-gauge shotgun shells.
Peterson said he and Cook interviewed Null, who said he possessed the weapons and shotgun shells for his protection.
A records check of Null found that he was arrested on June 10 for a weapons violation where he was found to be in possession of a handgun, Peterson said.
Null also told officers that he was currently on probation for the weapons violation, but Peterson said records at this time did not note any probation status.
Peterson said Null later was booked into the Lake County Jail on felony counts of possession of a short barrel shotgun, carrying a loaded firearm concealed on his person and possession of a concealed dirk or dagger, with pending charges to be determined after his probation status was confirmed.
Jail records showed that Null's bail was set at $25,000. He remained in custody on Saturday night.
Police arrest man with concealed knives, shotgun
- Lake County News reports
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