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Visalia Police Arrest Man After Sawed-Off Shotgun Threat
ANTHONY SITE PHOTO
By Anthony W. Haddad
Published 5 hours ago on
May 22, 2026

Police say a heavily intoxicated man was arrested Thursday night after he threatened a victim with a sawed-off shotgun before being disarmed in Visalia. (Visalia PD)

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A man was arrested Thursday night after police said he threatened another person with a sawed-off shotgun in Visalia.

Officers responded just after 8 p.m. to the 1200 block of North Divisadero Street following a report of a man with a gun, according to the Visalia Police Department.

When officers arrived, they detained the suspect, who police said was in possession of a sawed-off shotgun.

Investigators said the suspect, identified as Nicanor Basilio-Ayala, approached the victim while armed and started an argument.

The victim was able to take Basilio-Ayala to the ground and remove the firearm before officers arrived, police said.

Police determined Basilio-Ayala was heavily intoxicated. The victim and the victim’s family told officers they did not know him.

Basilio-Ayala was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and multiple weapons-related charges.

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Anthony W. Haddad,
Multimedia Journalist
Anthony W. Haddad, who graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with his undergraduate degree and attended Fresno State for a MBA, is the Swiss Army knife of GV Wire. He writes stories, manages social media, and represents the organization on the ground.

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