SANTA MONICA — The Santa Monica Police Department arrested a man Thursday, July 23 for carrying a loaded firearm at Venice Beach near tower 28.
After police received reports the man was brandishing his weapon at the beach, police arrived and after a brief confrontation Jacob Matthew Vanderburg, 26, was detained and later arrested for suspicion of possession of a loaded firearm and possession of an illegal high capacity magazine.
As video coverage by Shacked Magazine shows, a large SMPD presence arrived at the scene including an officer with a riot shield and multiple with assault weapons. The police approached Vanderburg on the beach who began walking backwards with his hands up per SMPD instruction.
Next, the video shows Vanderburg standing with his hands above his head when he yells, “I can sit here all day!” Soon after, police asked Vanderburg to kneel on the ground, which he does briefly before standing up and yelling, “I didn’t do anything. Let me go.”
Vanderburg continues, saying, “I’m getting out of this town, I don’t like these fucking liberals.” He then continued insisting that the police let him go. As police marched towards him to make the arrest, Vanderburg began yelling, “I like all lives matter… Blue lives matter!… I’m on your side.”
As he was being walked to a police vehicle he began addressing a group of onlookers saying, “You better get back to work and stop protesting in the street, you understand me?”
The video shows Vanderburg was being placed in a police vehicle when an onlooker heckled him, saying, “See you in two years bro,” to which he responded, “Hey fuck you, you pussy.” The onlooker said in return, “Hope you like prison.” Vanderburg then yelled back threatening the man’s life, saying, “Hey I’m gonna fucking kill you, you understand me?” and, “I’m coming back baby… This ain’t the last time you gonna see me!”
Vanderburg’s Black Volkswagen was parked nearby on Bernard Way in front of Ocean View Park. The video shows SMPD searching his vehicle where they found multiple knives, an ax, a sleeping bag, a framed degree of some sort, dumbbells, a set of pots and pans, and various other household items.
Lt. Joseph Cortez of the SMPD told Patch News officers were not able to find a victim of the brandishing charge, but police records confirm Vanderburg was arrested for carrying a firearm in public. Cortez also said that officers were concerned about Vanderburg’s mental health during the confrontation and that Vanderburg was placed on a mental evaluation hold when originally detained.
In California, the punishment for carrying a firearm in public is up to one year in county prison or a fine up to $1,000. For possession of a high capacity magazine, the punishment is $100 per magazine and a sentence of up to one year in county jail.
