By Ari Bloomekatz
Los Angeles Times
PALO ALTO, Calif. — A Palo Alto man who searched his name on Google wound up finding out more about himself than he bargained for when he discovered he was a wanted man.
San Leandro police said 27-year-old Christopher Viatafa — who was wanted by authorities for allegedly firing a gun toward an inhabited dwelling — turned himself in after seeing the photo.
“Although it wasn’t good judgment that landed him on the website ... he did use good judgment to turn himself in after seeing his photo,” according to a news release from the San Leandro Police Department.
Northern California’s Most Wanted site was launched last December, listing more than two dozen of the area’s most wanted criminals.
“Apparently the message is not out to criminals that this website is alive and well,” Mike Sena, director of the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center, said in a statement.
He called the site a “valuable tool” for law enforcement officials, and the public, in finding criminals.
Authorities said Viatafa was at a private party at the San Leandro Senior Center last August when, after a verbal confrontation, he drew a semi-automatic handgun and allegedly fired a few rounds into the ground near people.
He allegedly continued to fire after being forced away.
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