Four undercover officers took a dangerous place in line at the Social Security Administration office posing as customers to take down an armed guard.
Tim Tietjen with the Fresno Police Department said, "Our fear was if a uniformed officer would have went into the business, there would have been some type of confrontation because he knew he was wanted and he knew the crime he had committed today."
Police say moments earlier Juan Salmeron shot into a car occupied by his former girlfriend and her male friend. He calmly returned to his job, and a packed office full of customers. Officers say they had little time to make an arrest to protect the public.
"We walked in, we waited for him to be distracted," said Tietjen. "Once he was distracted we took him into incident without incident."
Officers say a car pulled up to the Southeast Fresno Police Substation just after 10:00 a.m. pierced with bullet holes. The victims told police they were talking near Romain playground when the woman's ex-boyfriend showed up.
Andy Mercado with the Fresno Police Department said, "She is currently going through a separation with this individual and as they drove off, the boyfriend with whom she is breaking up with fired shots."
The bullets were from a 40 caliber handgun, that's also the type of gun Salmeron had on his waist when he was arrested. Forensic tests are now underway to find out if the same gun was used in the crime.
No one was injured during the risky arrest, but customers inside the social security office were seemed shocked when police moved in, Salmeron was too.
"He was real surprised to see us," said Tietjen. "He didn't expect us to be cops. We were able to identify ourselves and disarm him without any problems."