Mass shooting at a California Marriott is foiled after cops arrest the hotel cook, 37, who had stockpiled tactical rifles and high capacity magazines and told a colleague he 'was planning to kill staff and guests' following an HR dispute (11 Pics)
A disgruntled Marriott employee who had an enormous arsenal of weapons stashed at his home has been arrested after telling a colleague he planned to carry out a mass shooting at his workplace.
Rodolfo Montoya, of Huntington Beach, California, was allegedly plotting to murder his co-workers and Marriott hotel guests in Long Beach with his cache of high-powered firearms - including two assault rifles, a pump-action shotgun and several pistols - following an undisclosed dispute with his HR department.
But his plan was foiled when the 37-year-old cook let slip his deadly intentions to a colleague who informed their manager. Manager Imran Ahmed then called the Long Beach Police Department who arrested him Tuesday and raided his home seizing the stockpile of weapons.
Photographs released by authorities shows a haul of thousands of rounds of ammunition, shotgun cartridges and an array of handguns and rifles.
The volume of weapons meant he would have been capable of causing an attack similar to the Las Vegas shooting in 2017, which resulted in 58 people being killed and 422 more wounded.
Montoya is set to appear in court as early as Thursday, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office confirmed.
Rodolfo Montoya, of Huntington Beach, California, was allegedly plotting to murder his co-workers and hotel guests with his cache of high-powered firearms - including two assault rifles, a pump-action shotgun and several pistols - after an undisclosed dispute with his HR department
Thousands of rounds of ammunition are pictured following the police raid. LBPD were alerted to the potential mass shooting by a colleague of Montoya's who said the gunman had revealed his deadly intentions to him following an alleged HR dispute
The manager of the hotel, pictured, called police who arrested Montoya Tuesday and raided his home seizing the weapons
'Multiple firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and tactical gear were seized, including high-capacity magazines and an assault rifle, which are illegal to possess in California,' Long Beach Police officials said in a statement late Wednesday.
Montoya was charged with manufacturing and distributing assault weapons, possession of an assault weapon and making a criminal threat. He is currently being held on $500,000 bail at the Long Beach City Jail.
'We have seen several tragic incidents that have resulted in many lives lost,' said LBPD Chief of Police Robert G. Luna in a press conference disclosing the arrest.
'The witnesses who came forward and the diligence of our employees involved in this investigation very likely prevented a threat of violence and saved many lives.'
DailyMail.com has contacted Marriott for comment.
Rooms at the hotel start at from $224 a night. It has two restaurants and a coffee house on site offering breakfast lunch and dinner. There is also a gym and an outdoor and indoor pool.
Body armor and numerous magazines were found among the weapon haul which was discovered by LBPD following a tip-off
A semi-automated weapon, bolt action rifle and revolver were recovered by police in the potentially deadly shooting plot
A pump-action shotgun and semi-automated weapon were recovered by police in the potentially deadly shooting plot
The weapons and ammunition haul is pictured which included thousands of rounds of ammunition and shotgun cartridges
During a news conference today, Luna turned and directly addressed Ahmed (pictured in a grey suit to the right of the photo) and said: 'Sir, you saved many lives, not only of your employees but any customers that may have been at the Marriott when this guy decided to show up and carry out his threat'
Montoya, who worked as a cook for the hotel, allegedly spoke to a fellow employee on Monday about the HR dispute and threatened 'that he was going to shoot up fellow employees and people coming into the hotel.'
Ahmed, the general manager of the Long Beach Marriott, at 4700 Airport Plaza Drive, who reported Montoya to police after the employee came to him said: 'That is terrifying.'
He said Montoya 'wasn’t a model employee but he never called out'. Ahmed told The Long Beach Post Montoya won an award for not missing a shift last year.
Marriott employees are trained threats Ahmed confirmed, adding: 'Otherwise this could’ve gone sideways very quick, very fast.'
Another worker at the hotel said Montoya gave her unwarranted kisses and touches. Irma Escobito told CBS she never reported him, but added: 'Every time he comes and he look for me, and he touch me or give me a kiss on the head, I say, 'Don't touch me please, don't kiss me,' because the cameras are there, and I don't like that.'
A neighbor said that he had an RV and had been warned he had 'all kinds of guns' in it. They said they were warned by a friend to stay away.
During a news conference, Luna turned and directly addressed Ahmed and said: 'Sir, you saved many lives, not only of your employees but any customers that may have been at the Marriott when this guy decided to show up and carry out his threat.'
Montoya does not appear to have any criminal history that would prevent him from legally purchasing the firearms, although some of the weapons found by police at Montoya's home 'may be illegal to possess,' along with some of the high-capacity ammunition magazines, Luna said.
'We have seen several tragic incidents that have resulted in many lives lost,' said LBPD Chief of Police Robert G. Luna (pictured) in a statement. The witnesses who came forward and the diligence of our employees involved in this investigation very likely prevented a threat of violence and saved many lives'
Some 25 people have now been arrested over threats to carry out a mass shooting since the attacks in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, at the start of August. The FBI has been on high-alert for copycat shooters, it has been reported
The Long Beach Marriott where Montoya worked and was allegedly planned to carry out his deadly assault
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia told reporters on Wednesday that he felt the police department had worked to 'avert what could have been a real tragedy.'
'Suspect Montoya had clear plans, intent and the means to carry out an act of violence that may have resulted in a mass casualty incident,' Luna said.
'We want to thank the hotel employee for bringing this information forward,' officials added in a department press release.
'This incident is excellent example of the 'See Something, Say Something' philosophy and how critical it is to report suspicious activity to law enforcement.'
Some 25 people have now been arrested over threats to carry out a mass shooting since the attacks in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, at the start of August. The FBI has been on high-alert for copycat shooters, it has been reported.
The volume of weapons meant Montoya would have been capable of causing an attack similar to the one unleashed by Stephen Paddock on October, 1 2017 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas.
Paddock killed 58 people and wounded more than 400 during the deadliest mass shooting in US history, before killing himself as officers stormed his hotel room.
He fired barrages for about 10 minutes from 32nd floor windows into the open-air Route 91 Harvest Festival concert across Las Vegas Boulevard.
