Felon Suspected of Hitting Basketball Players, Pointing Gun at Students

CORONA (CNS) – A convicted felon suspected of punching several female athletes during an altercation at a Corona high school basketball game and later threatening other students with a gun was behind bars Friday.

Thaddis Lamont Brooks, 39, of Perris was arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside Thursday on suspicion of child abuse, battery, making terrorist threats, brandishing a firearm not in self defense and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Brooks is being held on $350,000 bail.

According to Corona police Sgt. Jason Waldon, on the evening of Jan. 24, the suspect attended a game at Centennial High School, where the Huskies were taking on the Santiago High School Sharks.

Waldon said that a fight erupted between two players, prompting Brooks to jump out of his seat and enter the fray. He "punched several female athletes before being restrained," the sergeant said.

He alleged that Brooks then headed out of the gymnasium, stating that he intended to get a gun.

"The suspect walked to the parking lot and retrieved a handgun from his vehicle," Waldon said. "While in the parking lot, the suspect pointed the handgun at several students and threatened to shoot them. The suspect fled the area just before officers arrived at the school."

Detectives followed up with witnesses and obtained additional evidence pointing to Brooks as the alleged assailant, according to Waldon.

He said that a search warrant was obtained and served at the suspect’s residence on Chamberlain Creek Way, where officers took Brooks into custody without incident and discovered over 40 dogs on his property, showing signs of alleged mistreatment.

"The city of Perris Animal Control Services responded to the residence to investigate the animals’ welfare and determined there were animal cruelty factors present due to the conditions of the residence," Waldon said.

No firearm was located at the property, he said.

Animal control officers impounded the canines.

Information on Brooks’ prior convictions, which occurred in another jurisdiction, was unavailable.

Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.