Milpitas: Police say intruder beat resident with broken gun

MILPITAS – Authorities on Wednesday arrested a 33-year-old homeless man on suspicion of breaking into an apartment in Milpitas, brandishing an AR-15-style rifle at a resident and then beating him with pieces of the firearm after it broke during a struggle.

The encounter was reported on Selwyn Drive, Milpitas police said in a Facebook post.

Police said the victim told officers that the suspect, later identified as Brandon Sawyer, had broken into his apartment and pointed an assault rifle at him. He tried to grab the weapon and the two men struggled over it, causing it to break. Sawyer then used the pieces of the gun to hit the victim in the face, causing injuries, police said.

Sawyer ran from officers as they arrived at the scene, police said. Officers surrounded the area and arrested him nearby.

Police said Sawyer was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail in San Jose on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, brandishing a weapon, felon in possession of ammunition/firearm, possession of an assault rifle and a probation violation.

Sawyer is being held without bail and is slated to appear in court Friday, according to online jail records.