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SAN MATEO — Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying and locating a man who allegedly told a sporting goods store employee he wanted to purchase a gun and “shoot up a school.”

A customer at the Big 5 Sporting Goods store at 2825 S. El Camino Real reported the incident about 5:50 p.m. Friday.

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“The customer reported hearing a man comment to an employee that he wanted to purchase a firearm,” San Mateo police said in a news release late Friday night. “The man then threatened to shoot up a school and asked the employee for a good shirt to wear.”

Officers arrived at the store within minutes and searched for the man, but they did not find him.

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Related Articles San Mateo police find man who threatened to ‘shoot up’ school Witnesses didn’t find the man’s statements credible, but police are still asking for the public’s help in identifying and locating him. The man was described as a transient, white and about 35 years old. He was last seen wearing a camouflage sweatshirt and blue jeans.

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A surveillance image released by police also showed the man wearing a gray beanie.

Anyone with information about the incident or the man can contact San Mateo police at 650-522-7700. Tips can be submitted anonymously at 650-522-7676 or http://tinyurl.com/SMPDTips.