WATSONVILLE, CA — A 49-year-old man was taken into custody following a shooting report and a subsequent standoff in Watsonville. The incident began shortly before 7:00 p.m. on April 25th when Watsonville Police Department officers responded to reports of shots fired in the vicinity of Riverside Drive and Marchant Street.
During a canvas of the area, officers received information that a suspect, identified as Sandro Vega, had been seen outside a residence on the 0–100 block of Marchant Street while in possession of a rifle. Personnel from the Watsonville Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, and the Santa Cruz Police Department established a perimeter at the location and directed all occupants of the home to exit.
The suspect exited the residence but remained in the front yard, where he reportedly refused to comply with law enforcement commands. This resulted in a standoff lasting approximately 30 minutes, after which the suspect surrendered to authorities without further incident.
Following the arrest, detectives obtained and executed a search warrant for the residence, which led to the discovery of multiple firearms. Vega was subsequently booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail. He faces several charges, including assault with a firearm, brandishing a firearm, and negligent discharge of a firearm.
