Santa Cruz Co. Man Arrested On Gun Charge After Fight, Police Say

SANTA CRUZ, CA — Santa Cruz police arrested a 38-year-old Santa Cruz County man following a lockdown near Santa Cruz High School Tuesday afternoon.

Jesse J. Higdon was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats, assault with a deadly weapon/gun, battery and false imprisonment, police said in a statement.

Higdon was in custody at Santa Cruz County jail as of Wednesday afternoon, jail records showed.

A man later identified as Higdon pulled a semi-automatic handgun on his friend during a fight and threatened to kill the man at a house in the 200 block of Felix Street, police said. The friend and a resident of the house were not harmed, police said.

Police placed local schools on lockdown as they searched for the man in the area between Walti and Chestnut streets, police said. Police eventually spotted Higdon in the 100 block of Golf Club Drive and arrested him without incident, police said.

Police continue to investigate. Anyone with details were asked to contact police at 831-420-5820 or to eave information on the police tipline at 831-420-5995.