Former Tam High School student arrested after lockdown; replica weapon seized

MILL VALLEY, Calif. (KGO) -- 21-year-old Fairfield resident Michael Kessler is in custody, facing weapons-related charges in connection with Monday's lockdown at Tam High School.

Kessler was arrested on the following charges: possession of weapon near school grounds, destroy/conceal evidence, brandish replica firearm, unlawful display of imitation firearm, change markings on imitation firearm.

RELATED: Lockdown lifted at Tam High School in Mill Valley after police activity in area

A heavy police presence descended on the high school at around 1:50 p.m. on Monday after it was reported that a man wearing a ski mask was walking around with an AK-47 near school property.

Police lifted the lockdown after several hours of searching when police say they believe the man left the area in a car.

Witness reports led police to track down the license plate of Kessler's car. Police contacted him by phone and Kessler turned himself into a Marin Sheriff substation.

"We did have a deputy that located a vehicle at a Good Earth parking lot in Tam junction and ran the license plate of that vehicle which returned to a rental company," said Sgt. Brenton Schneider at a press conference Wednesday morning detailing Kessler's arrest.

According to the Marin County sheriff, detectives were able to locate the AK-47, which was determined to be a replica AK-47 airsoft gun with electrical tape placed over the orange tip.

The AK-47 replica airsoft was discarded in bushes near a relatives residence in Mill Valley. Police say that Kessler admitted to using the airsoft gun and mask to shoot a Snapchat video near Tam High School.

The Marin County sheriff added that they have no reason to believe Kessler, who was a former student at Tam High School, intended on performing an act of violence on Tam High school.

Kessler is due in court on Thursday.