Man Wields Ghost Gun In Garden Grove, Suspect Arrested: Cops

GARDEN GROVE, CA — A man suspected of approaching two men and a child with a handgun outside a Garden Grove motel was arrested and a ghost gun was recovered, authorities said Sunday.

The chain of events began at 9:18 p.m. Saturday when two men and a 9- year-old child were sitting in a vehicle in the parking lot of a motel in the 12500 block of Harbor Boulevard and a man approached them while holding a semi-automatic handgun, said Garden Grove police Sgt. Charles Loffler.

"When the victim saw the suspect approaching, he began to drive away from him," Loffler said. The suspect grabbed a door handle of the victim's vehicle but was unable to open it as the victim drove away.

The suspect was seen walking near the motel again about an hour later, he said.

Officers located the suspect around Palm Street and Garden Grove Boulevard but he ran away as they approached, Loffler said.

As officers gave chase, the suspect dropped a loaded .9mm ghost gun in the street.

The suspect jumped a fence but was caught in the driveway of a residence south of Garden Grove Boulevard, the sergeant said.

The suspect was identified as Caesar Ceferino Cruz, 26, of Hemet, Loffler said.

He was identified by witnesses and booked into the Orange County Jail, the sergeant said.

Ghost guns are weapons without serial numbers that can be assembled from kits at home.