[KHTS] A Castaic woman who allegedly kidnapped a man at gunpoint was charged with one count of kidnapping, one count of assault with a firearm and one count of grand theft with a firearm on Friday.
Melissa Bryant, 43, of Castaic, was arrested by deputies and booked at 2:40 p.m. Aug. 13, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials. She is being held in lieu of a $100,000 bail.
“The Sheriff’s Station deputies received a call at 9:35 a.m. The caller said she had held a male at gunpoint and forced him to drive her to a mobile home community in the Castaic area,” said Deputy Josh Dubin of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. “She then exited the victim’s vehicle and ran inside a residence.”
Deputies received a second call saying the suspect was seen with a handgun before entering her home, Dubin said. Deputies interviewed the kidnapping victim and several area residents near the suspect’s home in Lakehills Mobile Estates.
“By talking to friends and family, we learned (Bryant) allegedly suffered from some form of mental illness and had possibly used narcotics recently,” Dubin said.
The reports of mental illness have been unconfirmed by Sheriff’s Station officials, Dubin said.
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Enforcement Bureau and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Crisis Negotiation Team officials surrounded the location and evacuated nearby residents.
Deputies called for the suspect to exit the location, and she refused while reportedly making threats of ending her own life.
After nearly four hours of negotiating, deputies “peacefully” arrested the suspect at 1:40 p.m. after she walked out of her home voluntarily, Dubin said. Deputies discovered and recovered a loaded .357 revolver concealed in the suspect’s rear waistband.
“Our deputies partnered with SEB deputies to ensure a peaceful resolution to this situation,” Dubin said. “We are very, thankful for the way the situation peacefully ended.”
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14 Comments
Nobody got hurt, great job
Drugs gone wrong. Big surprise
Charming
Rosenda Altamirano-Moreno was this on your block?
I’ve know her since Kindergarten, hope not to see to many negative comments- mental illness is a serious issue and she has suffered a lot from it the past few years
I do hope it works out for her in the end. If it’s really a mental illness that caused this, then it’s something that needs to be addressed.
I hope her neighbors or family take care if her pets.
:(
Is that what it is Steve, a mental illness that caused this?
I can’t wait for the trial so that Melissa’s attorney can use the “abuse excuse” and get her off with time served and a few years probation.
If a man did this crap, he would have been shot dead by the police, or would get a hefty prison term.
Glad it ended peacefully. I hope everything goes well for Melissa.
I have also known her for years, and yes, she suffers from a degenerative illness that unfortunately was inherited.
Well said Steve. People always want to jump to a conclusion and judge others. I knew her from elementary school as well and I hope she gets the help that needs so that she can live a peaceful life.
Hope Missy’s well. Be safe.