People v. Farfan CA3

BACKGROUND

On December 3, 2020, defendant fired multiple shots from an AR-15 style rifle at a neighboring apartment building. Several witnesses took cover or rushed into their homes. After law enforcement surrounded his apartment building, defendant walked out with a handgun and multiple knives in his waistband. The responding officers told defendant he was under arrest and ordered him to the ground. Defendant moved to the ground but refused to obey further orders not to move. Ultimately, officers apprehended defendant. Numerous bullet holes were found in the walls of the neighboring apartments; at least one bullet penetrated into an apartment. No one was injured. Several days before the incident, defendant sent a sexually explicit text message to his college tutor. The People charged defendant with four counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling (§ 246) and four counts of discharging a firearm with gross negligence (§ 246.3). In January 2023, defendant petitioned for pretrial mental health diversion pursuant to section 1001.36. The trial court had denied a prior petition for mental health diversion without prejudice. In support of his 2023 petition, defendant included a letter…