SANTA MONICA—The Santa Monica Police Department have arrested a minor who was in possession of a handgun on Saturday, January 8. Lt. Rudy Flores of the SMPD indicated to Canyon news that officers assigned to patrol the pier were driving through beach Parking Lot 1 North (1550 Pacific Coast Highway).

At approximately 5:30 p.m., as officers approached a group of individuals standing near a pick-up truck loaded with vending carts, a male in the group lifted his arms and officers spotted the black handle of a handgun protruding from above the male’s waistband.

Officers contacted the male and recovered the handgun from his waistband. They found a high-capacity loaded magazine (15 rounds) in his front pocket. As officers engaged in the high-risk action of taking an armed individual into custody, they encountered a large group of vendors who attempted to intervene on behalf of the armed subject.

As the vendors were verbally abusive towards police officers, the SMPD detained and disarmed the individual. Officers on scene required the immediate assistance of additional officers to assist with the safe departure from the region with the arrested individual.

Once the male was in custody, officers discovered he was a juvenile (14 years-old). The un-serialized semi-automatic handgun (aka: “ghost-gun”) and magazine with live rounds were booked into property as evidence.

The minor for was booked for 265400(a)(2) PC – Carrying a Loaded Firearm and 32310(a) PC –Possession of High-Capacity magazine and subsequently transported to juvenile hall.

Anyone with details of a crime involving this juvenile is asked to contact Detective Spenser at 310-458-8415 or the Watch Commander (24 hours) at 310-458-8426.