Starbucks employees flee hostage situation, suspected gunman arrested
(Starbucks)
DISCOVERY BAY, Calif. - Starbucks employees were able to slip out the back door of one of the coffee chain’s Discovery Bay locations Monday morning when a suspect armed with a gun entered the store.
Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department responded to the store on the 14800 block of Highway 4 at 5:48 a.m. to reports of a person inside Starbucks pointing a gun.
There were reports that multiple people were inside the store, including one customer who sought refuge in a locked bathroom and managed to call the sheriff's dispatch.
The employees were initially thought to be hiding in a back office, but had actually escaped the premises when the armed suspect arrived.
Antioch Police Department, California Highway Patrol and the sheriff’s SWAT department provided assistance, the sheriff’s office said.
Officials said the suspect was not compliant at first and paced the store, but more than an hour after the ordeal began, he exited the back door, surrendered and was taken into custody.
The customer in the bathroom was rescued.
Upon a safety sweep, a loaded handgun was found in one of the bathrooms.
Lamont Lomack, 29, of Hayward was arrested and booked into the Martinez Detention facility where he is being held.
Lomack faces false imprisonment charges, as well as felon in possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition by person prohibited, carrying a loaded firearm, brandishing a firearm, and parole violation charges.
The sheriff’s department said this investigation is ongoing.