Man Armed with BB Gun Near San Marino School Placed on Mental Hold

A pair of San Marino schools were locked down when a man thought to be armed with a pistol was seen running in the vicinity, authorities said Thursday.

Officers were dispatched about 1:35 p.m. Wednesday to the area of Huntington Drive and Gainsborough Road when a motorist reported seeing a suspicious man possibly armed with a pistol running westbound from Saints Felicitas and Perpetua School, 2955 Huntington Drive, said San Marino police Sgt. Naved Qureshi.

“Officers arrived at the scene and immediately observed the subject throw an object into a nearby trash can,” Qureshi said. “The San Marino High School and St. Felcitas School were both advised to be placed on lockdown for a safety of the students and staff.”

Joseph Castillo Jr., 26, was initially uncooperative with officers but was eventually taken into custody and placed on a 72-hour mental health evaluation hold. The pistol recovered from the trash can was determined to be an airsoft or BB gun, Qureshi said.