Police in Campbell arrested a suspected prowler on July 9 and found that his vehicle was full of weaponry, drugs, and a journal in which he allegedly talked about eradicating Black, Latinx, and Jewish people.
Prosecutors say that the truck belonging to 32-year-old Wesley Charles Martines of Los Gatos contained body armor, a possible pipe bomb, assault weapons including two illegal AR-style rifles, and bullets engraved with things like "Cop Killer" and "A good start." They also found methamphetamine and heroin in the truck, as well as a journal discussing his racial genocide fantasies and "a plan to go to a sporting goods store, dress up as an employee and tie everybody up," as the Santa Clara County DA's Office said in a release.
Martines' arrest came after Campbell police received a call from a business owner just after midnight on the 9th, saying that there was a man prowling about his property and he was watching him on a surveillance camera. The suspect was allegedly peering into cars and looking around a storage shed near East Sunny Oaks Avenue, as KTVU explains, and police went to the scene and found Martines in his vehicle.
Inside the vehicle they found the AR-style rifles, a Glock 9mm handgun, silencers, and the engraved bullets, among other suspicious items. The pipe bomb contained pellets, police said, but no actual explosive material.
On July 9th, officers arrested Wesley Martines 32yrs, of Los Gatos, with assault weapons and what was believed to be an improvised explosive device. @SCCoSheriff bomb squad responded to assist. See @SantaClaraDA press release for additional information.https://t.co/ByGH83PxkT pic.twitter.com/Kg5AtI5WwL
— Campbell Police (@CampbellPolice) July 15, 2021
Martines was subsequently charged with "a litany" of things including suspicion of violating gun and drug laws, but investigators are still determining whether he had specific targets in mind for murder and mayhem.
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen made it sound in a statement like there was reason to believe a mass shooting at Martines' hand was potentially coming.
"Once again, law enforcement saved lives before the blood and tears flowed," Rosen said. "All of us have a role in stopping the next mass shooting, suicide, or domestic violence murder. Please call law enforcement if you know that someone is armed and dangerous."
Martines was arraigned Tuesday and is being held on $300,000 bail.
