Loaded Gun Confiscated After Watsonville High Lockdown

WATSONVILLE, CA — Three Watsonville High School students are expected to face criminal charges after reports of a person with a gun near the school's campus Friday, police said.

Police did not say if the students are in custody or what their charges could be.

Officers responded to the area of the high school around noon after multiple reports and saw three suspects running away, police said. The school was then placed on lockdown.

One of the suspects ran towards the high school, police said, but a campus security guard stopped him from getting onto school grounds.

The two other runners were also stopped. Officers discovered a loaded gun they believe was tossed by one of the students, police said.

The police department sent out thanks on social media Friday afternoon.

"It takes a village to keep our community safe," they said. "From the community member who reported the suspicious activity to the campus security guard who didn’t think twice about helping our officers— thank you!"