Homeless man arrested in Laguna Lake Park for weapons possession after evacuation

UPDATE (7:50 p.m.) – A homeless man was arrested Tuesday afternoon on several weapons-related charges after police responded to reports of a man with what appeared to be a gun at Laguna Park Lake.

San Luis Obispo police said in an update that James Michael Taylor, 40, a transient from San Luis Obispo, was arrested without incident after “an alert community member” reported to police at 4:45 p.m. that Taylor was waiving an apparent firearm nearby. the park's boat ramp.

When police arrived and located the suspect, they established a perimeter and observed Taylor from a safe distance, police said.

Police contacted Taylor and took him into custody. Taylor was in possession of a pellet gun that looked like a handgun, a stun gun and a throwing star – what's called a shuriken.

Police said Taylor was shooting a pellet gun in the park.

Taylor was booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail on three charges: possession of a throwing star, convicted felon in possession of a stun gun and discharging a dangerous weapon.

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UPDATE (6:16 p.m.) – Police report the incident at Laguna Lake Park “has been contained.” No further information has been released.
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(5:47 p.m.) – The San Luis Obispo Police Department is asking the public to avoid the area around Laguna Lake Park.

Few details were immediately available, but police said the park entrance was closed at 5:25 p.m. due to police activity.

People currently inside the park are being escorted out, according to police. They advised people to meet those who were evacuated in the post office parking lot on Dalidio Drive.

Police said no one was injured at the park.

This is a developing story and will be updated with new information as it becomes available. KSBY News has a crew that went to the scene.