LOXAHATCHEE GROVES, Fla. — A Palm Beach County man who deputies say called himself a "warrior" and "sniper" is accused of opening fire, threatening to kill police and holding an animal control officer against her will.
According to PBSO, a Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control officer responded to a property in the 13000 block of Okeechobee Blvd. in Loxahatchee Groves on Oct. 8 to investigate a complaint that 43-year-old Brian Tran was neglecting a dog by not giving it proper shelter.
The officer said that shortly after she arrived, Tran showed up in a white minivan and was "rapidly accelerating towards her."
According to his arrest report, Tran began to rant that he was mad at his neighbors for calling the authorities.
"Tran stated that he was going to kill his neighbors and the cops and he hated the cops," the arrest report said. "Tran went on to describe himself as a warrior, a police officer, a soldier, and a sniper."
The officer said Tran brought her to his home, where he claimed, "he is going to kill his neighbors if they want to be his enemy and that he is going to kill all of his enemies."
Tran then pulled out a black colored pistol and began rapidly firing into the ground several times, his arrest report stated.
The officer, in fear of her life, placed her hands in the air and started yelling, "Sir, sir I don't need to see the dog that bad. I need to leave now."
"No, no, no. You are going to see the dog," Tran said. He then lifted his shirt and "with a smirk on his face he showed her a knife and said, 'I have a knife,'" according to his arrest report.
The officer described the weapon as a large fixed blade knife in a tan suede sheath tucked into Tran's waistband.
Tran then grabbed the officer's shoulders and forced her to walk alongside him to see the dog in question, PBSO said.
"[The officer] thought that if she did not comply with Tran he was going to stab her," the arrest report stated.
The officer "looked at the dog and told Tran that the dog is fine, because she did not want to be his enemy."
Tran once again threatened to kill his neighbors, the cops, and all his enemies, his arrest report said.
The animal control officer was then able to return to her truck and contacted the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
Detectives said when they interviewed Tran he told them he's upset with his neighbors and admitted to shooting a firearm into the ground, however he denied touching or threatening the officer.
“It’s very unfortunate but sometimes emotions run very high. We do get threatened on a regular basis...this situation is a much higher level of violence towards one of our people...what we’re used to, but we see a little bit of everything out there," said Palm Beach Animal Care and Control Capt. Dave Walesky.
Tran was arrested and booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on Oct. 25 on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping/false imprisonment, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Tran is now out of jail after posting bond.