Front Page  »  

Man who brought arms cache to SLO bank researched drugging people

April 4, 2013
Turner Newman

Turner Newman

A police search of the computer owned by a San Luis Obispo man found sitting in a bank parking lot in March with loaded guns, handcuffs and a machete revealed that he had researched methods of subduing and possibly killing people.

On March 13, the San Luis Obispo Police Department received a call from an employee of Heritage Oaks Bank saying a suspicious man was sitting in a parked vehicle in the parking lot. When police arrived, they discovered that Turner Newman, 23, had two loaded guns, ammunition, a machete, handcuffs, leg restraints, zip ties and duct tape. Officers arrested Newman for carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle and for carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle.

In late March, police detectives served a search warrant at Newman’s residence in the 200 block of Ranchito Lane. The detectives confiscated Newman’s computer and analyzed the data he had been searching. They found that Newman had searched for methods of drugging, maiming, rendering unconscious and possibly killing people.

Officers are unaware of whether Newman acted on any of the information he gathered during his Internet searches. Police have also yet to determine Newman’s motives for sitting in the bank parking lot armed with loaded firearms, a machete and tools for forcibly subduing a person.

The police department is requesting that anyone who may have been a victim of criminal or suspicious activity involving Newman contact an officer.

Newman remains in San Luis Obispo County Jail without bail.

 


Loading...
Subjects:                     
Related:


14 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

No one mentions all the mind altering drugs that all these young shooters have been on since who knows when…..EVERY SINGLE ONE from Columbine to CT have been “under care” of someone. Let check this out and consider all the facts.


0

Because it’s the fault of guns, not drugs or mental health. Don’t you listen to the news? Or our president? You may need additional re-education, I think.


0

I think we might have avoided a mass murder here. Good for the caller, and cops to avert that. But I wonder why at this late date they don’t seem to know anything about his stated intentions. Are they just holding him without questioning him and finding out? If it is determined he was indeed thinking about shooting up the bank, or school, I hope he goes away for 40 years. We simply cannot have weirdos like that in society, a society full of guns and ammo. Which brings up the obvious, where did he get the guns and ammo?


0

Look at the age group of all of the people responsible for all these atrocities on the news…. Could you honestly blame anyone for being concerned? Perhaps nipping the problem in the ass by addressing the needs of the mentally ill is in order. I know that NAMI (National Association of the Mentally ill) protects the rights of the mentally ill to refuse medication or evaluation, without a Court order. It should never have to come to a person losing their life by the hand of a person suffering from mental illness before they finally get the care they need. Never! And to think we are debating our gun rights before arguing the rights of the mentally ill, is the definition of ignorance and stupidity by example. Good job SLO PD! You may have prevented another “Colorado style mass killing”. Either way…. that kid was a ticking time bomb if all facts provided are true.


0

This would not have ended well if gone unchecked. I hate to think how many more like him lurk in society at large,


0

I have a tin-foil hat theory on this… the government (and their media propaganda arms) do not want to go down the rabbit hole of mental illness, as they just might find out it’s tainted foods, too much exposure to electromagnetic transmissions (radio, satellite, cellular, etc) and good old fashioned over-prescribed drugs.


Too many pockets are lined too well to delve into those possibilities, so best just to nip it in the bud.


/tinfoilhat


0

I share your concern but I am also concerned about giving the government more authority to determine that someone is mentally ill if they also have the power to lock them away or restrict their rights. The types of mental illness that can cause a person to present a danger to others should be monitored somehow but that is also opening a door to abuse of power.


What is to keep the government from defining “mental illness” as vocal opposition to policies that have popular support? What about civil disobedience (without violence)? What about the mere desire to have “assault weapons?” (The fact that they have altered the description of “assault weapons” to include semi-auto weapons that look like full-auto tells you much about their willingness to spin reality to suit their purposes.)


I wish I had a simple answer to dealing with the complicated and troublesome issue of violence from unbalanced individuals but I don’t see one. We may have to just risk the dangers (exaggerated by media but none-the-less real) of violent people if we value freedom. Of course, reducing the power and scope of government and finding a way to minimize the number of corrupt, power-hungry politicians would also make it less of a threat. But, with so many voters being so susceptible to manipulation by propaganda, I don’t see that happening either.


0

Ah, throw in a good old fashioned “thought crime” – too bad they do not extend such investigations to those in positions of power…


0

When police arrived, they discovered that Turner Newman, 23, had two loaded guns, ammunition, a machete, handcuffs, leg restraints, zip ties and duct tape.

———————–

He did a hell of a lot more than just thinking about it. He overtly and concretely and substantially acted on his criminal thoughts.


It was just lucky that he was caught early in the process.


.


0

When police arrived, they discovered that Turner Newman, 23, had two loaded guns, ammunition, a machete, handcuffs, leg restraints, zip ties and duct tape.

———————–

He did a hell of a lot more than just thinking about it. He overtly and concretely and substantially acted on his criminal thoughts.


It was just 1 in a 1000 lucky that he was caught early in the process.


.


0

Good job SLO PD, and even the D.A.’s office. Now, how about Family Ties?


0

They are working on it. Feds are working on it. Investigations take time and the more patience and space they have, the better for everyone. I know it does little for the homeless or otherwise destitute in the meantime and I am equally displeased. But if you’re really that concerned, go throw a few bucks out there to these people. Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor was it destroyed in a day for that matter.


0

The person that turned him in should be the one to get the prize. Maybe a month off with pay. Don’t take the money out of my account but anyone else’s is fine. God Bless


0

I want to commend the woman who was suspicious enough to call the authorities in the first place! THANK YOU


0