Man Arrested for Allegedly Threatening Children, Parents at Park

A 46-year-old transient was arrested Friday night after he allegedly threatened a group of children playing baseball and attempted to assault parents with a large rock at Allendale Park in Pasadena, police said.

Cedric Gardner was taken into custody around 9:12 p.m. and booked on suspicion of making criminal threats and assault with a deadly weapon, according to Pasadena Police Lieutenant Sean Dawkins.

The incident began when Gardner made threatening comments to children playing baseball at the park, Dawkins said.

After parents told the man to leave, he reportedly returned a short time later and pulled a large rock out of his backpack when confronted again by the parents.

Fearing that Gardner would use the rock as a weapon, one parent struck the suspect with a baseball bat, dislodging the rock from his hand, Dawkins said. Other parents then tackled Gardner and restrained him until police arrived.

The ages of the children and parents involved were not released. It was not immediately clear what prompted Gardner’s threats and police did not say if the rock was recovered as evidence.

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the Pasadena Police at (626) 744-4241 or report information anonymously by contacting “Crime Stoppers” at (800) 222-TIPS (8477), via your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile App on Google Play or the Apple App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.