McAllen police avoided a potentially deadly situation early Sunday morning after drawing their weapons on a 27-year-old man who threatened them with a long kitchen knife in the front parking lot of the police station.
The tense situation occurred at around 4:05 a.m. when a woman called police to say she was taking her intoxicated son, Javier Longoria, a McAllen resident, to the police station because he was causing a disturbance at home.
When she arrived, the woman told an officer who was waiting that Longoria was highly intoxicated and possibly armed with a knife, according to a probable cause affidavit.
During this conversation, police say Longoria kept shouting that he is a Valluco gang member and that he is trying to go to 17th Street.
“I also observed an alcoholic beverage on Javier’s hand. I also observed Javier to display red blood shot (sic) eyes and slurred speech,” the officer wrote in a report.
According to police, Longoria became belligerent toward the officer, who asked him to calm down.
“Javier continued to be belligerent,” the affidavit stated.
As the officer approached Longoria, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, police say he challenged them to a fight.
“Javier then aggressively exited the Nissan Sentra and displayed a long kitchen knife and shouted ‘lets do this,'” the affidavit stated.
The officer said they felt their life was in danger due to Longoria holding a long kitchen knife while maintaining a fighting stance.
“I unholstered my McAllen Police issued Beretta and pointed my weapon at Javier while giving him commands to drop the knife. Javier refused to drop the knife and remained in a fighting stance,” the affidavit stated.
At this point, the officer says in the report that Longoria was about to re-enter the vehicle so the officer approached to try and prevent him from doing so.
“Javier then again faced me and approached me in an aggressive manner. I began to walk backwards while still giving Javier verbal commands to drop the knife,” the affidavit states.
As this is happening, police say another officer arrived to the parking lot and pointed their gun at Longoria while giving verbal commands for him to drop the knife.
Authorities say Longoria dropped the knife and began to aggressively approach the officer who had just arrived.
With Longoria’s back turned, the initial officer tackled Longoria to the ground, according to the affidavit.
A brief struggle ensued but the officers were able to control Longoria and handcuff him, police say.
During the struggle, the officer says Longoria threatened to kill them and told them they woud “pay for this,” according to the report.
“Due to Javier being a gang member, and is known to carry knives I do believe Javier can go through with his threats,” the affidavit states.
While he was being booked, police say they found two more knives on his person.
Longoria, who is charged with aggravated assault against a public servant, obstruction or retaliation and resist arrest, search or transport, remains jailed on a total of $133,000 in bonds, records show.
