Petaluma Man Threatened To Shoot, Kill Bank Employees: Police

SAN RAFAEL, CA — A Petaluma man who threatened to shoot and kill employees at a downtown San Rafael bank was arrested a week later on Tuesday with several firearms, including two unserialized rifles, police said.

San Rafael police were called shortly after 1:10 p.m. Aug. 18 to the Citibank on Third Street after an employee reported that an irate customer had threatened workers.

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Police said the man had gone to the bank to address an issue with his account and became increasingly upset while speaking with employees. When workers asked him to remain calm, he threatened to shoot and kill them, according to police.

Employees repeatedly asked the man to leave before he eventually did, police said. The bank then closed and locked its doors as a safety precaution.

Officers reviewed surveillance footage and identified the man as Frear Stephen Schmid, 72, of Petaluma, according to police.

Detectives learned Schmid had a firearm registered to him and obtained an arrest warrant along with a gun violence restraining order, police said.

Detectives arrested Schmid without incident Tuesday at his Petaluma home. Police said they found several firearms there, including two unserialized rifles, and seized the weapons under the restraining order.

Schmid was booked into the Marin County Jail on suspicion of felony criminal threats and illegal possession of unserialized firearms.

Anyone with information was asked to call San Rafael police at 415-485-3000.