A confrontation in a Safeway parking lot escalated into a significant police response yesterday afternoon when a man was arrested after brandishing a firearm outside the supermarket in Millbrae, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. The incident began on the 500 block of El Camino Real, prompting a call to authorities around 1 p.m., which set off a swift hunt for the suspect and his vehicle.
After fleeing the scene, the individual, identified by deputies as 36-year-old Mateialona Tangatailoa of Redwood City, was spotted driving southbound, not far from the location of the initial disturbance. Deputies performed a traffic stop in the 200 block of El Camino Real, where Tangatailoa was detained without further incident, as reported by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.
Further inquiry led to the discovery of an unregistered, loaded handgun in Tangatailoa's possession. His arrest has drawn charges, including possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, brandishing a firearm, and carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle. Tangatailoa is also facing an allegation related to child abuse, though the Sheriff’s Office has not offered specifics on this charge.
