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FOR THE RECORD: An earlier version of this story misstated the timeline of events surrounding the discovery of a gun at Aptos High School and the arrest of a juvenile by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. Lookout regrets the error.
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The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said the gun found in the bushes at Aptos High School is connected to a “physical altercation” that happened near the school over winter break.
In a statement released Wednesday evening, the sheriff’s office said the fight involved firearms.
“Through the investigation, a suspect was identified and an arrest was made” before the gun was found on Sunday, the statement said. “The individual arrested is a juvenile and was not a student at Aptos High School,” it continued.
“Based on the proximity and surrounding circumstances, investigators believe there is a strong probability that the firearm located on campus Sunday is connected to the winter break incident,” the statement said. The investigation continues, and detectives have not ruled out other possible leads, it added.
A man found a modified gun and ammunition in the bushes while walking his dog, he called 911 to report it and sheriff’s deputies searched the campus with K-9 units and a bomb squad. Parents of Aptos High students told school administrators they want answers and assurances that their children will be safe in class.
The increased law enforcement staffing at the school continues “until investigators are confident there is no ongoing threat,” sheriff’s officials said in a statement.
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