Man arrested on suspicion of holding woman at gunpoint in Mesa
Mesa police arrested a man on Monday afternoon after he threatened a woman and her 10-year-old daughter with a "simulated gun and knife," court documents state.
Documents say the girl called 911 at around 2:44 p.m. and told police that a man who knew her family, later identified as 42-year-old Reyes Veder, had broken into her home and was holding a gun to her mother's head. Court documents say an officer responded within a minute to the residence and stood at the front door and ordered its occupants to announce their presence.
The officer saw a bedroom door slowly open where Veder and a woman stepped out. The officer ordered the woman to leave the residence and held Veder at gunpoint while waiting for backup. Officers ordered Veder to come to the front door and ultimately arrested him after he resisted officers, documents state.
Police later learned the woman and daughter had returned home that day when the woman noticed the doorknob she had left locked was unlocked. Believing her husband may have been home, the woman checked her daughter's room when Veder leaped from the closet and grabbed her by the crease of his elbow while yelling that he had a gun and knife, documents say.
The woman told police she couldn't breathe for a brief moment and yelled for her daughter to run away while kicking the door shut. Documents say the woman felt an object that felt like a gun pressed against her ribs and Veder struck her in the ribs, stomach and legs.
Documents say Veder had a "simulated" gun and knife but don't specify whether he was actually armed.
In a police interview, Veder admitted he had threatened to shoot the woman and girl.
Veder was booked into jail on kidnapping, burglary, resisting arrest and five counts of aggravated assault. He's being held on a $250,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on April 24.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man arrested on suspicion of holding woman at gunpoint in Mesa
