A 15-year-old boy was arrested outside Carpinteria High School on Wednesday for possession of a firearm, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Raquel Zick announced on Thursday.
Community Resource Deputy Bryan Dickey was visiting the campus at around 12:30 p.m. “when administrators reported a vehicle near campus that was occupied by two people that seemed suspicious,” according to Zick. Dickey located and approached the vehicle parked along the 4800 block of Foothill Road, at which point the male suspect in the driver’s seat allegedly threw a backpack from the vehicle and was detained by deputies. “Inside the backpack, deputies found an unloaded .44 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver,” Zick said.
The juvenile was arrested and booked at the Santa Maria Juvenile Hall on felony charges of possession of a gun in a school zone, minor in possession of a firearm, and carrying a concealed firearm, as well as a misdemeanor charge of possession of an unregistered firearm. The female passenger was released to a guardian.
“The Sheriff’s Office would like to commend the school administrators for their observation and for quickly sharing their concerns with CRD Dickey,” Zick said. “This partnership resulted in securing an illegally possessed weapon and ensuring the safety of the Carpinteria community.”