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Two Placer County Sheriff's vehicles are seen parked in front of the Tahoe Furniture Outlet on lake Forest Road Wednesday afternoon when deputies went searching for John McKnight. McKnight, a 61-year-old Tahoe City resident was arrested in Truckee after a manhunt on felony weapons charges.
TAHOE CITY, Calif. — (This story was updated at 6:30 p.m.) Truckee Police arrested Tahoe City resident John McKnight Wednesday after McKnight allegedly posted anti-semitic signs near his home, waved around a handgun and made vague death threats to area residents.
Police arrested McKnight, 61, for assault with a deadly weapon and criminal threats.
Both charges are felonies.
McKnight was arrested after fleeing the scene in the Lake Forest area in his gold Ford pickup truck. He was picked up about 4:45 p.m. at the intersection of Interstate 80 and State Highway 267. Truckee Police additionally charged him with DUI and possession of a concealed and loaded weapon, both misdemeanors.
Sergeant John Giovannini said six or seven Placer County Sheriff's officers, as well as two California State Park patrolmen and three California Highway Patrol officers, responded to Lake Forest at 3:48 p.m. Wednesday.
Calls came in that McKnight was waving a handgun at a female neighbor near his Lake Forest Road home. Witnesses reported McKnight was intoxicated at the time.
The woman declined to comment.
Witnesses at the scene said McKnight posted an anti-semitic sign near his property. The sign, written on brown cardboard in teal paint, read “Kill all Jews.” It was confiscated by Placer County Sheriff's officers for evidence.
Initial reports, according to Placer County dispatchers, also said McKnight threatened to “kill everyone in Lake Forest.”
Placer County quickly initiated a manhunt and posted CHP officers at both Lake Forest Road entrances from State Highway 28.
The small neighborhood near Tahoe City, is home to both commercial and residential establishments.
Initial calls, Giovannini said, put McKnight at a furniture store in Lake Forest.
John Uher, an employee at Boulder Ridge Sash & Door in Lake Forest said he noticed deputies looking into his car shortly after 4 p.m.
Boulder Ridge is located to the East of the Lake Forest Glen Condominium complex on the road.
“I saw them looking in my car so I went out, and all of the sudden they had guns on me,” Uher said. “They frisked me and then made me sit on a rock. After a little bit they took off. I was freaked out, I didn't know what was going on. That was absolutely excessive.”
Dave Best, who works inside the Tahoe Furniture Outlet, said he experienced a similar situation.
“I (was) thinking what the (expletive) is going on when I saw those guys pull up,” Best said. “I came outside and saw them, walked back into the furniture store and they came in guns drawn looking for him.”
Both said they were shaken by the event.
Giovannini said the situation was quickly-moving at that point and officers were concerned about the reports of a suspect with a gun in the area.
Barbara Selak and husband Paul, who work at Tahoe Canvas just South of the Furniture outlet, were also involved.
Barbara Selak said officers also pulled a gun on her husband before realizing they had the wrong subject and continuing toward McKnight's home.
Robert Smith, who owns the home McKnight lives in and three other cabins at the same address, said he was called to the scene by the female neighbor.
“She called me and said he was acting crazy,” Smith said. “She said he threatened to kill everyone here and burn all my places down.”
Smith said he's rented to McKnight for the 12 years he's owned the cabins, adding McKnight had lived there for about 15 years.
McKnight worked a number of mechanical jobs and was a very talented machinist, a trade he picked up when he served in the Navy, Smith said.
Giovannini said he expects more charges to come in the case, which is being investigated by Placer County.
Police arrested McKnight, 61, for assault with a deadly weapon and criminal threats.
Both charges are felonies.
McKnight was arrested after fleeing the scene in the Lake Forest area in his gold Ford pickup truck. He was picked up about 4:45 p.m. at the intersection of Interstate 80 and State Highway 267. Truckee Police additionally charged him with DUI and possession of a concealed and loaded weapon, both misdemeanors.
Sergeant John Giovannini said six or seven Placer County Sheriff's officers, as well as two California State Park patrolmen and three California Highway Patrol officers, responded to Lake Forest at 3:48 p.m. Wednesday.
Calls came in that McKnight was waving a handgun at a female neighbor near his Lake Forest Road home. Witnesses reported McKnight was intoxicated at the time.
The woman declined to comment.
Witnesses at the scene said McKnight posted an anti-semitic sign near his property. The sign, written on brown cardboard in teal paint, read “Kill all Jews.” It was confiscated by Placer County Sheriff's officers for evidence.
Initial reports, according to Placer County dispatchers, also said McKnight threatened to “kill everyone in Lake Forest.”
Placer County quickly initiated a manhunt and posted CHP officers at both Lake Forest Road entrances from State Highway 28.
The small neighborhood near Tahoe City, is home to both commercial and residential establishments.
Initial calls, Giovannini said, put McKnight at a furniture store in Lake Forest.
John Uher, an employee at Boulder Ridge Sash & Door in Lake Forest said he noticed deputies looking into his car shortly after 4 p.m.
Boulder Ridge is located to the East of the Lake Forest Glen Condominium complex on the road.
“I saw them looking in my car so I went out, and all of the sudden they had guns on me,” Uher said. “They frisked me and then made me sit on a rock. After a little bit they took off. I was freaked out, I didn't know what was going on. That was absolutely excessive.”
Dave Best, who works inside the Tahoe Furniture Outlet, said he experienced a similar situation.
“I (was) thinking what the (expletive) is going on when I saw those guys pull up,” Best said. “I came outside and saw them, walked back into the furniture store and they came in guns drawn looking for him.”
Both said they were shaken by the event.
Giovannini said the situation was quickly-moving at that point and officers were concerned about the reports of a suspect with a gun in the area.
Barbara Selak and husband Paul, who work at Tahoe Canvas just South of the Furniture outlet, were also involved.
Barbara Selak said officers also pulled a gun on her husband before realizing they had the wrong subject and continuing toward McKnight's home.
Robert Smith, who owns the home McKnight lives in and three other cabins at the same address, said he was called to the scene by the female neighbor.
“She called me and said he was acting crazy,” Smith said. “She said he threatened to kill everyone here and burn all my places down.”
Smith said he's rented to McKnight for the 12 years he's owned the cabins, adding McKnight had lived there for about 15 years.
McKnight worked a number of mechanical jobs and was a very talented machinist, a trade he picked up when he served in the Navy, Smith said.
Giovannini said he expects more charges to come in the case, which is being investigated by Placer County.
