What started as a routine plate check near Colma’s Metro Mall ended with a brief scuffle and a loaded, unregistered handgun pulled from a backpack, according to police.
Colma officers stopped a vehicle on Colma Boulevard on Wednesday after spotting expired temporary plates and seeing the driver roll through a stop near the Metro Mall entrance, police said. The driver, a 26-year-old San Francisco man, initially refused to get out of the car. A short struggle followed before officers recovered a backpack from inside the vehicle. No shots were fired, and no serious injuries were reported.
According to the Colma Police Department, the incident happened around 7:10 PM, during what they described as an investigative traffic stop in the 200 block of Colma Boulevard. Officers say the driver grabbed a backpack from the rear passenger floorboard, prompting an officer to reach into the car and remove it. Inside, police reported finding a loaded black handgun that, after a serial number check, was determined not to be registered.
The department’s post identifies the driver as 26-year-old Delmar Bankstonhopkins of San Francisco. He was booked into San Mateo County jail on multiple weapons-related counts, according to the agency.
The Metro Mall corridor has been a regular enforcement hotspot, according to municipal crime records. The Town of Colma crime bulletins describe routine patrols, traffic enforcement, and theft-related stops in and around the shopping center’s parking lots, reflecting a pattern of officer-initiated activity in the area. Police packaged this latest case into their ongoing “Felony Friday” series, which showcases arrests and evidence from recent felony investigations.
Potential Charges Under State Law
Under California law, carrying a loaded firearm in a public place or in a vehicle is generally prohibited by Penal Code 25850, which is published by the California Legislature. Carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle falls under Penal Code 25400, also detailed by the California Legislature. Both statutes allow for stiffer penalties when aggravating factors are present.
Police say a records check in this case showed the weapon was not registered to the person they arrested. That kind of detail can elevate the seriousness of the charges or open the door for prosecutors to pursue felony enhancements. How the case is ultimately charged will depend on the ongoing investigation, any prior criminal history, and other facts authorities document in their reports.
Colma police are asking anyone with information or video related to the stop to contact the department through its non-emergency lines. The public update, which includes video from the scene, was posted on the department’s social feed to both document the encounter and nudge potential witnesses to come forward.
