News

DoorDash delivery man has gun drawn on him: police

Authorities in Mesa, Ariz., have arrested a man they said pulled a gun on DoorDash delivery driver as he tried to drop off food at a local apartment building over the weekend.

Local police said in a report obtained by CNN that the man, Valentino Tejada, is facing charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct involving a weapon after they said he pulled a gun on the driver, Dimitri Mills. 

Mills told CNN in an interview on Wednesday that the man had drawn a gun on him shortly after he exited his car to make a delivery this past Sunday.

“I knocked on the customer’s door and let her know that her order was outside and that we need help because a guy had pulled a gun out on me,” he told the network.

In footage of the moment, Mills and a person recording the incident from inside his car could be heard telling the man that they worked for DoorDash and were making a delivery.

“We’re doing DoorDash,” the person recording the incident says off-screen as Mills walks up to the building with a bag in hand.

“Nah, that’s not what’s going on,” the man responds while following after Mills.

“Yeah, that’s what’s going on,” Mills continues before asking the person in his car to read off the order number. 

After making the delivery, Mills told CNN that the “guy was in between me and the car and wouldn’t let me go past him.”

In footage that appears to have been taken after Mills delivers the food, Mills could be seen standing outside his car saying he’s waiting for police as the other man also waits outside the complex with what appears to be a gun in hand.

“I’m waiting for the police,” Mills is heard saying.

“‘Cause you’re the law, right?” the other man could be heard responding. “You’re the government. You get to dictate.”

“You’re not the law,” Mills tells the man.

“Yes, I am,” he tells Mills. “What happened to ‘we?’ What happened to ‘we the people?’ That’s just you, right?”

Moments after, police could be seen arriving at the scene. They then ask the man to drop the gun repeatedly and he complies.

According to CNN, prior to pulling a gun on Mills, Tejada claims he had almost been hit by his car. Police reportedly said in the report they did not find witnesses to “corroborate his statement.”

According to the police report seen by CNN, the man’s gun contained one round.

Tags Arizona CNN Doordash Mesa

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.