Police: Santa Rosa Junior College instructor arrested on campus after gun found

A Santa Rosa Junior College instructor was arrested on campus Monday morning after police said they found a gun in his briefcase.

At least two students told campus police last week they saw Michael Kenneth Beyries, 74, had a semiautomatic pistol while in Garcia Hall. Police searched him just before 9:20 a.m. Monday on the Santa Rosa campus and said they found a firearm.

In California, it is illegal to have or use a firearm on any school or college campus.

Beyries was arrested and booked into Sonoma County jail in Santa Rosa on suspicion of two felony counts of possessing a firearm on a college campus and one misdemeanor charge of having a loaded firearm in a public place.

He is being held in lieu of $60,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear Wednesday morning in Sonoma County Superior Court.

Beyries is an associate faculty member in the school’s communications department.

Classes taught by Beyries were canceled Monday, junior college spokesperson Sarah Laggos said in an email Monday.

Santa Rosa Junior College President and Superintendent Angélica Garcia sent an email about 9:40 a.m. Monday informing others of the situation.

“Earlier today, SRJC District Police arrested an individual for carrying a concealed weapon on campus,” she said in the message. “The individual is an SRJC employee and will be placed on administrative leave.”

Beyries will not be allowed on campus for at least 14 days, according to a news release from the college. He will be paid during that time and a substitute will instruct his courses, Laggos said.

Administrators will investigate the situation and human resources personnel will review the findings as part of the administrative leave process. The internal probe is separate from the criminal investigation.

“The safety of our community is our top priority. We are thankful to District Police for their response to this situation and encourage all the members of our community to be partners with District Police in preventing crimes on our campuses,” Laggos said regarding the SRJC in an email Monday. “There was no credible threat to our community at any time.”

Anyone with additional information on this case is encouraged to contact the SRJC District Police Department at 707-527‐1000.

Beyries, a former attorney, has been ineligible to practice law since 2014 and was disbarred in 2015, according to California state bar records.

You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On X, formerly Twitter, @madi.smals.