Off-Duty Industry Sheriff's Deputies Stop Knife-Wielding Man Outside Pomona Courthouse

Two off-duty deputies from the City of Industry Sheriff's station stopped thwarted a knife-wielding man's attempt to enter the Pomona Superior Courthouse.

Jeralme Gabe Cuevas, a 29-year-old Pomona transient, was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats, brandishing a weapon in a threatening manner.

Deputies Tien and Valasquez were exiting the courthouse after testifying on an unrelated case Monday when they saw Cuevas walking towards the entrance with an eight-inch butcher's knife in his hand, according to a news release.

The deputies approached the man who "appeared to be extremely agitated" and he refused to speak to them, authorities said.

The deputies tried to talk to the suspect a couple of times more when Cuevas reportedly yelled, "Are you guys going to take me back to prison? I need to go back to prison or I'll kill somebody," authorities said.

The deputies drew their weapons and after talking to Cuevas for several minutes, they were able to get him to drop the knife and lie on the ground, according to the Sheriff's Department. Cuevas was held until Pomona Police Department officers arrived.

Cuevas was on active parole, it was later determined, and he told the deputies that he had come to the courthouse "just to kill a cop," authorities said.

He was booked with a bail of $250,000.