A woman walked into church services in Clairemont and made violent threats while armed with a gun Sunday afternoon, police said.
Churchgoers were able to wrest control of the weapon from the woman — who had a baby with her at the time — and no one was hurt.
The first 911 call came in at 12:02 p.m. reporting the armed woman at the Mt. Everest Academy, on Mt. Everest Avenue north of Balboa Avenue, San Diego police Sgt. Robert Hawkins said.
Easter Sunday services were being held at the school by Tsidkenu Church, a non-denominational church that leases the space, another officer, Lt. Shawn Takeuchi, said in a later statement.
The woman walked onto the stage during the services and "made threats that she was going to blow up the church" while waving a handgun around, Takeuchi said.
"Members of the congregation were able to subdue her and get the gun away from her," Hawkins said. "Police arrived moments later and were able to take her into custody."
Officers were able to determine the gun wasn't loaded after the woman, identified as 31-year-old Anna Conkey, was arrested.
Police used bomb dogs to conduct a sweep of the area where the church services were being held as well as Conkey's car because of her threats, Takeuchi said. No explosives were found.
Conkey had a 10-month-old baby with her during the incident, Takeuchi said. Police also located her 5-year-old daughter, who was determined to be healthy and unhurt.
Takeuchi didn't say where the 5-year-old was found.
"Both children have been taken into protective custody and will be evaluated by Child Welfare Services, Takeuchi said. "The female suspect will be booked into jail on the appropriate criminal charges which will include making criminal threats and displaying a handgun in a threatening manner."
Conkey graduated from San Diego State University and served in the U.S. Navy. She is a former intern and digital producer at NBC 7, and also interned at KPBS in 2016.
