An unsettling incident occurred near Holyoke High School on Wednesday when a student was reportedly approached by a man attempting to lure them into his vehicle. The Holyoke Police Department responded swiftly following a tip from the school's resource officer, leading to the apprehension of a suspect who was later found in possession of narcotics and an illegal firearm, as shared in a Facebook post from the police department.

The incident unfolded early Wednesday morning when Officer Manny Rivera, the resource officer at Holyoke High School, was informed by a student about the attempted enticement. The student described witnessing a male driver trying to get them into a white pickup on their way to school. Responding to the scene, police officers conducted a search, locating the unoccupied vehicle on Franklin Street after a mere 30 minutes.

After making contact with the owner, officers found the suspect, identified as Justin Mangual, inside a nearby apartment on Maple Street. During a sweep of the premises, approximately 100 vials of crack cocaine were discovered. Permission to search the previously located truck led to the recovery of a loaded rifle, of which Mangual had neither the proper license to carry nor a driver's license. Notably, Justin Mangual has a history with law enforcement, including a prior conviction for possession of a firearm without an FID Card.

Holyoke Police Chief Brian Keenan praised the student for quickly reporting the disturbing incident, saying, "Without that quick intervention and the ensuing actions by our responding police officers, we would not have been able to locate this suspect as quickly as we did." According to a statement issued on Facebook by Chief Keenan, School Resource Officer Rivera, who has developed a rapport with the students, played a critical role in the suspect's prompt capture due to the trust he had built.

33-year-old Justin Mangual, a resident of Chicopee, is facing charges of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and carrying a firearm without an FID Card—a subsequent offense. The Holyoke Police Department's investigative efforts continue, as additional charges related to the enticement allegations and the narcotics found in the apartment may be pending.