Ex-employee posted photos of firearms, sent threats to former co-workers, CA cops say

A San Jose man fired from his construction firm job posted photos of himself holding firearms online and emailed detailed, profane threats to his former co-workers, California police say.

Officers arrested Bryan Velasquez, 43, on a felony stalking charge on Thursday, May 19, the San Jose Police Department said in a news release.

Police also seized numerous firearms, including two AR-15 style rifles, high-capacity magazines, body armor, ghost gun parts and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, the release said.

“There’s an individual that has animosity, hatred, anger toward others, and that was averted,” Police Chief Anthony Mata told KNTV. “A mass shooting, I believe, was averted.”

Velasquez declined to comment on the charges, KNTV reported. Officials did not say if he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.

Velasquez, who was terminated in January, conducted an escalating cyberstalking campaign against his former co-workers, police said in the news release.

Along with posting photos of himself holding various firearms online, Velasquez emailed his ex-colleagues profane threats with detailed information on their homes and daily routines, police said.

“We believe we prevented some sort of mass casualty incident by taking this person into custody and seizing all of his firearms,” spokesman Sgt. Christian Camarillo told KTVU. Camarillo said police believe Velasquez was “ready to carry out these threats.”

Police ask that anyone with information contact detectives at 408-277-3835 or by e-mail at 4152@sanjoseca.gov.

This story was originally published May 25, 2022 at 12:55 PM with the headline "Ex-employee posted photos of firearms, sent threats to former co-workers, CA cops say."