Pomona man breaks into apartment, throws vacuum, knives at police

POMONA, Calif. (KABC) -- A man was taken into custody after police said he broke into a Pomona apartment, destroyed its furnishings, and then threw various items - including a vacuum cleaner and knives - at responding officers.

Pomona police received a call shortly before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday regarding a suspect who had forced his way into an apartment in the 770 block of East Third Street.

Responding officers said the man, who they described as highly agitated and violent, was holed up inside a ground floor apartment unit. All other apartment occupants had escaped by that time, officials said.

The suspect was identified as 26-year-old Javier S. Navarro Jr. of Pomona.

"We started hearing guys tussle, so it started getting a little serious, and then we started hearing a lot of glass break," described Vincent Garcia, who lives in the unit directly above the one the suspect broke into.

Garcia said that's when the resident of the apartment unit came running outside.

According to police, Navarro hurled numerous objects toward the officers positioned outside the apartment, including a vacuum cleaner, glass cups, tools, sticks and knives.

He also shattered all the windows in the apartment, authorities said.

Garcia said he heard Navarro claim that people were chasing him and that the building was on fire.

"During the process, he was just tearing the guy's apartment to shreds, broke everything in his apartment from his TV, his laptops, his tables. He must have been cut, because there was blood everywhere, too," Garcia said.

According to police, Navarro was bloody from self-sustained injuries prior to police arriving on scene. Investigators said officers were not successful in their attempts to negotiate with Navarro, who was described as possibly under the influence of narcotics and experiencing a mental health crisis.

At this point, officers executed a tactical response, and Navarro was taken into custody without being injured. Navarro struck one officer in the head with a wrench, but the officer's helmet prevented any injuries, authorities said.

Navarro was initially taken to an area hospital for a mental health evaluation and medical treatment for his self-sustained injuries, police said.

Navarro will likely face charges of assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism and burglary.

Garcia said he doesn't believe Navarro lives at the complex, which is a gated community. He believes Navarro hopped the fence to gain access.

"I really don't think it's an apartment safety issue. I just honestly think that the guy snapped around our apartments, simple as that," Garcia said.

If you have any relevant information about this incident, you're urged to contact Pomona police at (909) 620-2085. You can submit anonymous tips by calling Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.