Loaded Semi-automatic Handgun Seized From Juvenile

SANTA CRUZ-According to Santa Cruz Police, a juvenile arrested Sunday in possession of a loaded concealed firearm is a known gang member.

Police say about 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan 3, the police department’s Neighborhood Enforcement Team officers were patrolling an area with recent shootings.

Officers conducted a traffic stop on a BMW near the intersection of Wharf Road and Grace Street, and after a search, arrested the 17-year-old driver.

The search revealed a loaded semi–automatic handgun.

Police say the juvenile was the sole occupant in the car. In addition to the loaded handgun, he also had drugs, drug paraphernalia and ammunition in his possession.

The juvenile was arrested for various drug and drug sales charges, possession of a loaded, concealed firearm and participant in a criminal street gang.

Other activities involving firearms were also reported by police.

On January 1, 2016 around 8:27 p.m., SCPD Officers responded to the area of West Cliff Drive and Swift Street on a report of shots heard. Police say they interviewed a witness who reported seeing a flash and heard two shots coming from a dark colored Dodge Charger. There were no reported injuries.

Witnesses told officers that the individuals in the Dodge Charger had followed the victim who was driving up Swift Street. A shooter from the Dodge Charger fired two shots at the occupants in the victim’s car. One bullet entered the trunk of the victim’s car, according to police.

The suspect vehicle is described as a black or dark blue Dodge Charger with tinted windows, and black rims. The shooter was described as an adult Hispanic male wearing a black beanie. The shooter was sitting in rear left passenger seat of the car. Police describe say the driver was an adult Hispanic male with long dark hair. The front passenger is described as an adult Hispanic male wearing a black beanie.

SCPD officers were able to recover a bullet from the victim’s car and a shell casing in the area of Swift Street and Sunset Street.

In a second incident, Santa Cruz Police responded about 11:30 a.m. January 2 to several reports of shots fired into an apartment residence in the 300 block of La Fonda Avenue. Officers observed that one bullet had penetrated the rear fence, shattered the sliding glass door and lodged inside a living room sofa. No one inside the apartment was injured, according to police.

SCPD Officers recovered approximately twelve bullet casings throughout the street. Witnesses reported seeing a dark color 4 door sedan drive away north on La Fonda Avenue.

The following day Officers responded to another home in the area to recover a bullet found by a child in the yard.

All three investigations are ongoing. Santa Cruz detectives are continuing to follow up leads and looking for video surveillance.

The police department is asking anyone with information or who may have witnessed the shooting to contact investigators 831- 420-5820

-Bay City News, image via SCPD