Officer Pulls a Gun on Costumer After Buying Mentos- Victoria Gonzalez

    On Friday March 16, 2018 in Southern California Jose Arreola walked into a gas station to buy Mentos for his wife who remained in a vehicle parked outside. The store remained mostly empty with according to camera footage only the cashier, Mr. Arreola and soon an off duty cop. Arreola asked for the price of the Mentos, and then gave the cashier a twenty dollar bill waiting for change when in walks off duty officer who sees Mr. Arreola put the Mentos in his pocket as he's being handed his change. "Put it back," the officer told him as Arreola looked around confused. He then explained his position as a police officer before pulling a handgun out from his waistband and cocking the gun while waving it in Arreola's general direction. Arreola set the candy on the counter and put his hands up as Jose and the cashier calmly explained the situation.
  After repeatedly stating that Jose did in fact pay for the mints, the police officer told him to "Take his candy and go-" responding quickly to Jose's explanation of what had happened before the officer had arrived. The Buena Park Police Department promises to look into this police officer's "inappropriate behavior" and also claims that an investigation will be held to determine and review the procedures of questioning and how to handle it.
   To put it quite frankly, as I have seen the video myself, the officer holds no hesitation in taking a gun and aiming it at Jose before then ordering him to leave-even after the cashier assured him multiple times that Jose paid for the mints. The use of guns in our police department is only in a time of absolute need or in a time when their lives are threatened within an instant. The fact that he used it on a citizen before getting clarification, and threatening someone's very life without cause is disgusting as it is shameful.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/07/us/police-mentos-gun-video.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fus&action=click&contentCollection=us&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=7&pgtype=sectionfront