Reno police: Man camping in park attacks city employee

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) -A city of Reno worker trying to help the homeless was attacked Wednesday afternoon in a city park, the Reno Police Department said.

Cristian Arana-Godoy, 29, was camping inside John Champion Park on Kuenzli Street when an employee of the city’s Clean and Safe program approached at about 2:15 p.m. to offer to connect him with resources and other assistance.

Arana-Godoy charged the outreach worker holding a metal pipe and a machete that was about 2 feet long, police said. The outreach worker ran and Arana-Godoy continued to chase him and strike at him with the machete, police said.

Other city employees at the scene called 911 and when police arrived the suspect threatened police with the machete, police said. He then went back to his encampment.

More officers arrived, including the negotiating team, and Arana-Godoy surrendered after about an hour of negotiations.

He was arrested on two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of camping in the park.