Galt police arrest teen who ran from high school parking lot; loaded gun and knife found
An 18-year-old man was arrested after he ran from a high school parking lot in Galt and was found with a loaded handgun and a knife, police said.
About 1:20 p.m. Monday, staff at Estrellita High School on Marengo Road spotted a suspicious vehicle with three occupants in the campus parking lot. They notified an on-duty Galt Police Department school resource officer.
The officer questioned the three people inside of the parked vehicle. They told the officer that they were waiting for a student to exit the school and refused to provide any identification, Galt police announced Thursday afternoon in a news release.
The officer ordered one of the occupants, later identified as Daniel Mendoza of Galt, to step out of the vehicle. Police said Mendoza got out and immediately ran away. The officer quickly caught up to Mendoza and apprehended him.
As the officer took him into custody, Mendoza admitted he had a handgun and knife on him, police said. The officer found a loaded 9mm handgun tucked in his underwear and a knife concealed in his waistband.
Police later confirmed Mendoza was at the school to pick up a student who needed a ride. Investigators determined there was no intent to harm any of the students on campus.
Students at the high school were safe in their classrooms during the incident, police said. Mendoza was arrested; the two other people in the vehicle were released without any criminal charges.
