Thursday, 13 August 2026, 10:25
Santa Paula police said they stopped a violent attack before it happened. A 70-year-old man now faces charges for allegedly planning to shoot up the police station and kill officers. The arrest came after a tip from Idaho and a coordinated effort across Ventura County.
The Santa Paula Police Department said it learned that a person in Idaho had been making threats to conduct a shooting at the police station and specifically kill officers. Investigators identified the suspect as Kenneth Gullett, a 70-year-old former Santa Paula area resident, and said he planned to return soon. He allegedly mentioned using protective ballistic equipment in his plan.
On July 29, the man was tracked down and arrested in the city of Ventura. The arrest, which came through collaboration with multiple agencies, happened Wednesday morning after the man had returned to Ventura County. Search warrants were served in both Ventura and Santa Paula. Officers seized a handgun, ammunition, a ballistic helmet, and diagrams to manufacture assault weapons. Authorities said the man also threatened his relatives if they notified police. He was reportedly upset over an ongoing Ventura County court case from last year.
The suspect's bail was set at $1,020,000.
This was not the first time police encountered the man. In a pending 2025 criminal case, the Ventura Police Department had seized more than 130 firearms from his home, including automatic weapons and unregistered ghost guns. That case already included a variety of illegal firearms charges.
The threat against the police department comes as the community has dealt with other serious violent crimes. On July 25, Ventura police arrested Ignacio Anzaldo, 33, on suspicion of kidnapping and attempting to kill a woman. Investigators said Anzaldo left a downtown bar with a woman, then became irate while driving. He allegedly attacked her and threatened to kill her at Wheeler Canyon Road, a remote area of Santa Paula.
The woman told police that Anzaldo began cutting her with a knife until a neighbor heard the commotion and intervened. She escaped and made her way to the Santa Paula Police Department, where officers saw she had significant injuries. Paramedics took her to a hospital. Anzaldo was later found and arrested without incident.
The Ventura Police Department said Anzaldo was booked on suspicion of attempted murder, kidnapping, and domestic violence. The investigation is ongoing, and detectives are asking any witnesses to contact them. Sergeant Fabian Gutierrez of the Major Crimes Unit is leading the investigation and can be reached at (805) 339-4428.
In a separate incident, Ventura County Sheriff's deputies arrested 40-year-old Chad Nelson on July 30 after he allegedly attacked his 80-year-old stepfather with a 10-inch kitchen butcher knife. Deputies responded to a 911 call from Nelson's 70-year-old mother at a residence in the 5900 block of East Sunny Vista Avenue in Oak Park. Upon entering the home, they found Nelson standing over his stepfather, who was bleeding on the floor. The victim told deputies, "You saved my life." Nelson became upset during a family discussion and armed himself with the knife from the kitchen, according to investigators.
Authorities said the 911 call came in at around 8 p.m., and deputies from Thousand Oaks Patrol Services and specialized units were dispatched. The caller reported that her adult son was actively attacking her husband with a knife. The victim, who is mobility-impaired, was found on the living room floor with multiple injuries, which were later determined to be non-life-threatening. The specific topic of the family discussion that preceded the attack has not been disclosed.
Nelson was booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility on charges of felony elder abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, and battery causing serious bodily injury. His bail was set at $200,000, and he is scheduled to appear in court on August 3. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office reminded the public that domestic violence can affect victims of any age, saying, "Violence against elderly family members is a serious crime, and deputies remain committed to protecting vulnerable members of our community and holding violent offenders accountable."
For anyone affected by domestic violence, help is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.
An investigation continues in Van Nuys after a 3-year-old child was reportedly abducted during a home invasion, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles.
These cases show that law enforcement agencies in the region are actively handling both planned violence and crimes in progress. Police ask anyone with information about any of these incidents to come forward. Tips can be directed to the Santa Paula Police Department or the Ventura Police Major Crimes Unit at (805) 339-4428.
