Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies patrolling an apartment complex frequented by a “generational street gang” arrested a teen on suspicion of drug and gun charges, seizing several weapons from the teen’s home, according to L.A. County Superior Court records.
Deputies patrolling The Village on Valle Del Oro shortly before 9 p.m. Nov. 21 saw a teenager walking through the parking lot holding a rubber balloon in his hand and inhaling the air in the balloon, according to the detective’s report, which also described that as a common way teens ingest nitrous oxide “to provide a high to the body.”
The deputies recognized the 16-year-old on sight as a known member of the local gang, according to a deputy’s affidavit, which also states the gang was believed to be involved in a Nov. 11 shooting at Creekview Park, less than a half-mile from the complex.
As deputies attempted to detain the teen for a narcotics investigation, the teen ran and deputies gave chase, according to a detective’s statement in his justification of a search-warrant request.
Deputies said they caught the teen a short distance later, and while he was detained, one of the patrol deputies said they saw the frame of a handgun, specifically the grip, through an opening in the top of the teen’s satchel.
Deputies said the gun was a Glock 19, which also had an extended 30-round magazine of 9 mm ammunition, both of which were seized, according to the detective’s report. The magazine had 26 live hollow-point rounds left.
Deputies took the teen into custody under suspicion of four charges: possession of a loaded firearm in public; juvenile in possession of a firearm; possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number; and possession of a large-capacity magazine.
Following up on their investigation, deputies served a search warrant approved Nov. 22.
The records indicate they came away with two “black AR-style” rifles described as semiautomatic, one with a 6-inch barrel and one with a 16-inch barrel, according to court records. They also seized a 30-round magazine and an additional 9 mm round from the teen’s bedroom.
On Nov. 11, watch Sgt. Josh Nemeth of the SCV Sheriff’s Station said deputies responded to a call near The Village, which originated from 4th Street and Pine Street in Newhall, according to officials.
The caller said juveniles were fighting and a person in the vicinity claimed to have a firearm. Later, an unknown person called authorities saying that they had been shot, but also refused to provide any additional information before hanging up.
An SCV Sheriff’s Station official was not immediately available Thursday to confirm whether an arrest had been made in the park shooting or whether the teen was considered a suspect.
In addition to several shootings over the past two years, The Village also was the site of a gang-related double homicide in 2023 that’s heading to court next month.
