Charges announced against man who pointed firearm at Larchmont Charter School in West Hollywood

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced charges against the man who allegedly pointed a firearm at a Larchmont Charter Elementary School staff member in West Hollywood last week. 

Vahe Armen, 32, has been charged with one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon or by means likely to cause great bodily injury on a school employee and one count of weapons on a school grounds, after he was seen pointing what appeared to be a long rifle at the Larchmont campus on Thursday. 

"In an era plagued by an epidemic of mass shootings at schools across our nation, every parent in America faces an unimaginable fear when they send their child to school," Gascón said. "It is an unfair burden that no parent should bear. We must prioritize the safety and well-being of our community, particularly our children. They deserve nothing less than a nurturing environment  free from the threat of violence."

The incident happened just after 8 a.m. Thursday morning, when jarring video allegedly shows Armen pointing a gun at the school staff member after getting out of his car during student drop-off. As a result, the school was forced to go on lockdown while investigators surveyed the scene. Armen was arrested a short distance away by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies.

They found the weapon, a "rifle-type pellet gun" in Armen's vehicle. 

Additionally, Armen faces charges related to a separate incident that occurred on Oct. 24. He is charged with one count of an assault on an elderly person and one count of dissuading a witness from reporting a crime, the DA said. 

Armen faces special allegations on all counts from both incidents. He is scheduled for arraignment on Monday and is being held on $5 million bail. 

If convicted, he faces up to seven years and four months in California state prison, the District Attorney's Office said.