California man arrested after threatening to shoot half-marathoners

On Sunday in Monterey, Calif., a man was arrested after threatening to shoot runners in the Monterey Bay Half Marathon, claiming they were disrupting his sleep, according to a local news report.

According to local authorities, a male called the Monterey Police Department (MPD) at 7:11 a.m., stating that “protesters” on Del Monte Avenue were interrupting his sleep and that he was going to shoot them with an AR-style rifle. The official arrest report said the suspect mentioned the half-marathon during this call, implying he was aware of the ongoing race, and claimed he was located on Park Avenue, which is just 500 metres from the race’s start line.

The Monterey Bay Half Marathon began at 7:00 a.m. at the intersection of Del Monte Avenue and Camino El Estero, with 6,915 runners taking part. The annual race relies on dedicated race staff, multiple local police departments, the Monterey Fire Department, emergency response teams and a large volunteer crew to keep the event running smoothly and safely.

After failed attempts to call the man back, the MPD immediately launched an investigation to determine his identity and whereabouts without interrupting the race. Officers found the suspect’s vehicle at around 7:42 a.m., and by 9:00 a.m., they had detained him at a nearby residence, where they recovered a handgun. The man, who was allegedly staying in Monterey while visiting an acquaintance, confessed to making the threat; he was later identified as 53-year-old Carmichael, Calif., resident Sean Klinger.

Klinger was detained on charges of making criminal threats, and held on US$250,000 bail.

The MPD obtained a gun violence restraining order and a search warrant for Klinger’s Carmichael home, where they discovered nine firearms, including three illegal rifles; Klinger now faces additional charges for possession of these firearms in Sacramento County.