Three men arrested during a party in Atwater, police say

A party that lasted until early Sunday morning in Atwater ended with with three men being arrested after reports of a man trying to enter with a gun and a physical fight, according to Atwater Police Department officials.

At 2:32 a.m., officers arrived at the 800 block of Fruitland Avenue after several 911 calls saying Jorge Rafael Zarate, 25, was trying to enter the house with a gun, police officials said.

Partygoers informed officers there had been a fight before they arrived, officials said, and Zarate was toward the back of the house. He was found and taken into custody, police said.

Jesus Reyes, 23, and Victor Garibay, 26, tried to escape through the backyard as officers were instructing the 30 to 40 people at the party to lie on the ground, police said. Officers chased them down and they were taken into custody.

According to police officials, all three men were Tasered.

After Zarate, Reyes and Garibay were taken into custody, officers heard a “disturbance” and “scuffing” coming from inside the home, police said.

Officers said they found victim Heriberto Gaeta kneeling on the ground and opening a gun case in the southwest bedroom. Police said he was being restrained by his mother and girlfriend.

After officers ordered Gaeta to drop the shotgun, he was arrested, police said. It was not registered.

Witnesses told police officers Zarate was in possession of a black, medium sized, semi-automatic handgun before the fight and he made several threats to retrieve his gun, according to the statement. Police said witnesses also saw him go to his vehicle before the fight and several people went to the same car just after the fight ended.

Police said they weren’t able to locate the firearm.

At the police department, officers said, Zarate began kicking the jail cell, wall and door. He attempted to keep officers out of the cell by pushing against the door, police said.

Zarate fell on the ground, officials said, and as he was being restrained he made threats to a police officer using derogatory language. Zarate was charged with resisting an arrest, assault and battery.

Garibay was booked on a felony warrant for carrying a concealed dirk or dagger and participation in a criminal street gang. Reyes was charged with resisting an arrest.

This story was originally published June 11, 2017 at 5:03 PM with the headline "Three men arrested during a party in Atwater, police say."