Rohnert Park police seize guns after allegedly armed man goes on racist rant from roof

By Tim Fang

A Sonoma County man has been arrested on multiple weapons charges and a hate crime charge, after he allegedly pointed a gun and made racist remarks from the roof of his home.

The Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety said that officers were called to a home around 8:45 a.m. Saturday after receiving a call about an armed man on a roof.

Police said the man was standing on the roof with a shotgun, pointing the weapon at people working in the backyard of a neighboring home and yelling profanities, including racist remarks. The man, identified as 60-year-old Tiwart Bachir Kyorkian, was taken into custody without incident.

Officers served Kyorkian with a Gun Violence Restraining Order issued by a Sonoma County Superior Court judge, which required him to surrender his firearms pending a hearing. Police said Kyorkian did not comply with the order.

Kyorkian was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, violation of civil rights (hate crime) and disobeying a court order.

Police said the man’s refusal to comply with the court order prompted them to obtain a search warrant for his home. A search yielded multiple firearms and ammunition.

Following the search, Kyorkian faces additional charges of possessing an assault weapon, possessing large capacity magazines and possessing a short-barreled rifle.

According to jail records, Kyorkian is being held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Monday.