Thursday - October 02, 2008 - 10:03 - Canyon Country:
A text message from a troubled teenager to one of her friends may have saved her life this morning. Just after 10:00 a.m. deputies from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station responded to reports of a teenager who was reportedly armed with a handgun and was apparently suicidal.
The teenager, age 17 and a resident of Saugus, had apparently sent a text message to a friend of hers at a local high school stating she had a gun and was going to kill herself. The friend contacted the Sheriff's Station, but did not know where the teenager was at. Deputies immediately responded to the school as a precaution and contacted the friend. They were able to obtain the name of the teenager and immediately sent additional deputies to her house, where they were able to contact a family member.
Through additional follow-up and the use of the family member, they were ultimately able to contact the teenager via cell phone and attempt to verify her location and assure her that everything was going to be all right. Deputies convinced the troubled teen to tell them where she was and determined she had boarded a local bus in Canyon Country. Working quickly and in direct cooperation with the City of Santa Clarita Transit Division, deputies were able to identify the bus and line the teenager was on and were able to locate the bus. Through direct communication with the bus driver and transit authorities, the bus was stopped near Golden Oak and Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country, and an emergency response of deputies was immediately dispatched to the location. The teenager was taken into custody on the bus without incident. The teenager was very cooperative with the deputies, but was in possession of a loaded handgun.
The teenager has been taken to a medical facility for treatment and evaluation. The deputies first concern is that the troubled teenager receive the help that she needs, however, a criminal report will be processed for unlawful possession of the loaded handgun. No one was injured during the incident.
Deputies credit the student's quick thinking and immediate call to the Sheriff's Station and the coordinated response by personnel of the City of Santa Clarita's Transit Division with the safe resolution of this incident.
"It was the quick action of the teenage friend and the coordinated response by all the personnel involved that led to positive outcome of this incident," said Captain Anthony La Berge. "Now our main concern is getting this young girl the help she needs," he added.
The investigation is ongoing and there is no further information available at this time. -ref 17578
If You See Something, Say Something! Report non-emergency crime anonymously by visiting the following link: Crime Tips or calling (661) 284-2-TIP / (661) 284-2847.
Always verify the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station's information and news releases by visiting our website at SCVSheriff, the City of Santa Clarita's website at Santa-Clarita, the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department's website at LASD or a trusted local news source. Four other local news outlets are KHTS AM-1220, The Signal, Santa Clarita Valley Nonprofit News Center, and The West Ranch Beacon. For questions regarding this release, contact Sergeant Harris at (661) 799-5814.
