A 21-year-old Palm Desert man was arrested on Friday evening after police say he robbed a business with a gun and later assaulted a police officer.
The Palm Desert Police Department responded to a business at the 73-500 block of Highway 111 about 5:16 pm Friday night, according to a news release. The owner of the business told police a man with a gun confronted him in back of the business, but the owner was able to get away and call 911.
A suspect was located a few minutes later in the area of San Pablo Avenue and San Gorgonio Avenue, Palm Desert. As officers approached the man, he fled. While running from officers, the man brandished the firearm from his pants and then discarded it a short distance later.
Authorities followed the man to an apartment on Las Palmas Avenue. As officers made contact at the location, the suspect opened the door and an altercation ensued. The suspect, identified as Jose Banda of Palm Desert, was ultimately detained. Banda and an officer sustained minor injuries as a result of the altercation.
Police recovered the firearm, which turned out ot be a pellet gun that looked like a rifle, and other evidence linking Banda to the robbery.
Banda was arrested for robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and assaulting an executive officer.
