14-year-old arrested 2nd time on suspicion of having ghost gun near Santa Rosa school

A 14-year-old was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of having a ghost gun near Montgomery High School in Santa Rosa, the second time this year they were arrested for having a firearm near a school, authorities said.

Detectives following a lead from a robbery investigation found the suspect around 9 a.m. Wednesday sitting in a car with a man at the Montgomery Village Shopping Center, within 500 to 1,000 feet from the entrance of Montgomery High School, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Juan Valencia said Thursday.

The minor was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of conspiracy and multiple firearm charges, including possessing a loaded firearm and not being the registered owner of the gun, according to a Facebook post by the Sheriff’s Office.

The minor also was accused of robbery from a separate case Sept. 21, in which they and other individuals allegedly stole a “large amount” of vape pens and alcohol from a Santa Rosa market , according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives had identified the 14-year-old as a suspect in the robbery based on surveillance footage from the store, Valencia said.

As deputies were arresting the minor, they found a loaded handgun without serial numbers and an extended magazine in their backpack.

The minor was booked into Sonoma County juvenile hall.

The 14-year-old was arrested Aug. 23 for having a loaded gun on the property of Cardinal Newman High School, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

In that incident, deputies were dispatched to the school on the report of a kid with a gun. When police arrived to the scene, they found the now 14-year-old, along with a 12-year-old and 23-year-old in a white Jeep Patriot leaving the school’s parking lot.

The deputies stopped the vehicle on Ursuline Road and found a ghost gun with a 30-round magazine on the floorboard, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The three were arrested on suspicion of possessing a high-capacity magazine, a concealed firearm, a ghost gun, a gun on school grounds and committing gang activity on school grounds.

You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. Her Twitter is madi.smals.