Richmond man ‘ranted’ that hospital favored non-whites, threatened staff before police found hundreds of guns, 11,000 pounds of ammo at his home

Lawrence Hansen allegedly told hospital staff that he hoped they had body armor, showed up to medical appointments with a gun and a knife, and claimed to be a retired cop, though authorities found no evidence he actually served in law enforcement.

RICHMOND — A local resident allegedly caught with enough guns and ammunition to equip a small army is set to have a preliminary hearing soon on 18 felony and three misdemeanor charges, court records show.

Lawrence Hansen, 68, is set to go before Judge Charles “Ben” Burch on May 10, where police and other witnesses will testify about the hundreds of guns, 11,000 pounds of ammunition, 46 grenades, 22 suppressors, and other weaponry allegedly found in his home. Hansen’s preliminary hearing date was confirmed at a Monday morning hearing. He remains jailed while the case is pending.

Hansen’s charges represent the Bay Area’s biggest arms stockpiling case in recent memory, and it all started when me made alleged threats to hospital staff at John Muir Walnut Creek Medical Center. According to police, nurses there said Hansen was known for “ranting” about how white people like him didn’t receive proper care there, and told one doctor he hoped the doctor owned a bulletproof vest.

Hansen had a gun at his waistband during one visit to the hospital, and also showed up there wearing a large knife around his neck, according to police. He also reportedly joked about beating up the doctor to steal his wedding ring, and claimed to be a retired cop, though authorities say they were unable to find any evidence that he truly worked in law enforcement.

In one conversation, Hansen said he struggled with sleep due to high pain levels, and that he “sits up all night outside his house to guard the neighborhood,” according to a police report. After the hospital took out a restraining order against him, police showed up to the 5600 block of Doremus Avenue in Richmond to seize whatever firearms he possessed, and stumbled upon a gun collection of major proportions, comprising at least 230 firearms, including numerous assault weapons and machine guns, according to court records.