‘Bright red burning object’ hurtles past officer in flare gun attack, CA police say

A California police officer spotted a “bright red burning object” hurtle past the windshield of his patrol car at 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15, authorities reported.

The officer stopped and discovered a flare still burning in a nearby yard, the San Mateo Police Department said in a news release.

The officer found a man sitting on a bus bench nearby with a flare gun at his feet, police wrote. The man hastily picked up the flare gun and put it in his pocket. The officer arrested him.

Yasuhito Oshima, 44, of San Mateo, faces charges including discharging a firearm with gross negligence, shooting into an occupied vehicle and assault on a peace officer with a firearm, police reported.

Police “determined Oshima specifically waited for an officer to drive (by) him, so he could shoot at an officer,” the release said. A search of his home turned up a taser, mace and an empty flare gun cartridge.

In January, Oshima had emailed a video to the department of someone firing a flare over police headquarters, the release said.

This story was originally published February 17, 2022 at 9:32 AM with the headline "‘Bright red burning object’ hurtles past officer in flare gun attack, CA police say."