Two Less Guns on Santa Cruz Streets

Santa Cruz Police Recover TWO Loaded Guns in Separate Incidents

INCIDENT #1
On Sunday, June 14, 2015, Santa Cruz Police patrol officers stopped a suspicious vehicle in the 400 block of Soquel Avenue. The officers noticed a green Cadillac stopped in the middle of the roadway. The occupants were posturing at a pedestrian who was wearing red and posturing back at the group in the car. After the exchange, the vehicle speed off. After watching this interaction unfold, our officers caught up to the Cadillac and stopped it.

During the car stop our officers discovered drugs and drug paraphernalia inside the car. Looking a little deeper, the officers found a loaded .40 caliber firearm inside a backpack.

The backpack containing the loaded firearm belonged to Oscar Alvarez, age 19 from Santa Cruz. Mr. Alvarez was a passenger in the car, and the backpack was sitting in front of him. Mr. Alvarez has previous contacts with the Santa Cruz Police Department related to gang activity.

Oscar Alvarez was arrested and booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail for possessing a concealed loaded firearm, conspiracy to commit a crime, and participation in gang activity. Refer to Case #15S-05083.

INCIDENT #2
Around 11:00 am on Friday, June 12, 2015 Santa Cruz Police responded a report at Laurel Street Park of an individual brandishing a gun and shouting gang affiliation challenges at a bystander. The victim was able to provide a detail description of the suspect for the responding officers.

Santa Cruz Police officers found Mr. Anthony Hill and an associate a few blocks away on Center Street and New Street. Mr. Hill and his associate matched the description provided by the victim. Officers stopped the pair at gunpoint.

During the detention, Mr. Hill kept reaching toward his waistband. Officers searched Mr. Hill and found a loaded .32 caliber revolver in his waistband.

Mr. Anthony Hill is 18 years old and from Santa Cruz. Mr. Hill was arrested and booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail for (1) Possession of a Firearm in a School Zone, (2) Brandishing a Firearm and (3) Participation in a Criminal Street Gang. Refer to Case #15S-05013

Mr. Hill is being investigated for two other incidents from the night prior to this case, where a victim was physically assaulted with a baseball bat and another victim had their tires slashed.

The Santa Cruz Police Department continues to encourage residents to be partners in public safety. We are committed to reducing gang crimes and violence in the City of Santa Cruz. Anyone with information regarding suspicious or criminal activity is encouraged to contact the Santa Cruz Police Department.