Alleged gang member in custody after transit police make arrest in the Lower Mainland

A Metro Vancouver Transit Police officer is seen in this undated image. (Metro Vancouver Transit Police/Facebook)

Vancouver — An alleged gang member is in custody in the Lower Mainland and is facing multiple charges, transit police say.

Metro Vancouver Transit Police's Sgt. Clint Hampton first announced the arrest on social media late Wednesday morning, though little information was given at the time.

In the afternoon, transit police said the man arrested was 23-year-old Luis Manuel Baez. He was stopped by officers at about 3:40 p.m. Tuesday in Burnaby's Metropolis at Metrotown parking lot.

Officers say Baez was "openly smoking marijuana in a location contrary to the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act" when they approached him.

According to MVTP, Baez "suddenly took off running" while officers were speaking to him. He got into the driver's seat of a nearby parked car and "there was a brief struggle" while he attempted to start the vehicle, according to police.

Officers say they got Baez out of the car, but during the continued struggle, "officers saw him remove a handgun from his waistband and discard it under a parked car."

MVTP's statement says it was a loaded, semi-automatic .45-calibre handgun.

"Bringing an end to gang violence is an ongoing, concerted effort by all Lower Mainland municipal and RCMP police agencies," Hampton said in a statement.

"We are happy to have taken another firearm off the streets and out of the hands of an alleged gang member."

Baez has been charged with one count of obstruction and multiple firearms offences. Officers say he is "well known to police" and the date of his next court appearance hasn't been set.

Seven fatal shootings have been recorded in the Lower Mainland since mid-April, with many taking place in extremely public places like outside restaurants and near malls.

Earlier this week, local police publicly identified 14 alleged gangsters who are believed to pose a risk to public safety in the region.