A dog reportedly discovered a backpack containing a firearm and ammunition at Aptos High School in Aptos, California, on Sunday morning.
Mikey Perez was out walking his dog, Bear, near the school, located about 30 miles south of San Jose, when Bear detected something peculiar.
“He stopped and pointed at me, kind of like a pointer, and I was like, ‘What’s happening, buddy?'” Perez reminisced about his dog’s surprising behavior during their walk.
“He was definitely alerting me,” he added, thinking perhaps it could have been a mountain lion or something equally unusual. But as he got closer, he spotted a black backpack.
“He noticed the black shape and approached it cautiously,” Perez explained. “I picked up a stick to take a look and, wow, it was a backpack. Something heavy was inside—it was a magazine.”
“This has been modified and is entirely automated,” a person on the scene noted. “Everything on top was scraped off. It could even have a 3D-printed buffer to make it fully automated.”
Perez, who now affectionately refers to Bear as “Hero,” suspects the firearm might have been hidden for a potential bank heist or, worse, a school shooting.
“This little guy is an angel,” he told KSBW. “We would never have suspected anything like this.”
Additionally, a ski mask was found just a short distance away from the backpack.
The Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office is conducting an ongoing investigation into the incident.
“We understand how concerning this is for the community,” said Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Ryan Fallot. “We want to reassure everyone that we’re taking this very seriously.”
Fallot also mentioned, “This is something we’re actively addressing. We responded quickly, and want to ensure that all schools, children, and staff in Santa Cruz County feel safe.”
The Sheriff’s Department announced plans to increase police presence at Aptos High School on Monday.
By Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Office provided an update, revealing the arrest of a juvenile suspect linked to the firearm, ammunition, and ski mask.
Authorities reported that a fight occurred near the school outside school hours during winter break, involving a firearm.
Importantly, they confirmed that the arrested individual is not a student at Aptos High School.
“Based on proximity and the surrounding circumstances, we believe the firearms found on campus are likely associated with the winter break incident,” the sheriff’s office stated.
“However, detectives haven’t ruled out other possibilities as ensuring the safety of the child is our top priority,” they emphasized.
Officials noted that a larger number of law enforcement personnel will maintain a presence at the school until they’re certain there’s no ongoing threat.
