Officers Respond to Reports of a Man with a Rifle in Local Park

NEWS RELEASE

April 21, 2019          2:30 p.m.

CASE#19R024917

On April 21, 2019, at approximately 12:30 p.m., a citizen at Caldwell Park called to report a man riding a bicycle through the park with a rifle or sawed off shotgun tucked into his pants. The citizen provided a detailed description of the suspect and expressed concern for a large number of children playing in the park.

Officers quickly responded and found Robert Curtis Burlew (52 years of Redding) riding on a bicycle near a gazebo. Burlew matched the suspect description and was detained. Officers located an imitation rifle concealed down the front of Burlew’s pants, with the stock of the rifle protruding above his waist. Burlew was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine and on Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS) for possession of a prohibited weapon. Burlew had no explanation as to why he was riding through the park with the imitation firearm.

Burlew was booked at the Shasta County Jail for possession of a controlled substance and an imitation firearm, along with a violation of his probation status. Burlew was arrested in May of 2018 for being a felon in possession of an actual firearm and ammunition.