A routine-looking traffic stop near West 8th Street and Donahue Street in Santa Rosa yesterday quickly escalated into a gun case, as officers reported finding a loaded, concealed .22-caliber revolver and arresting two people at the scene.
According to police, the Santa Rosa Police Department's Special Enforcement Team pulled over a vehicle in the area and detained its occupants while they searched the car. Investigators say that the search turned up the handgun, additional defensive weapons, and ammunition. A juvenile passenger was booked into juvenile hall on multiple weapons-related counts, while the driver was evaluated and released at the scene.
Traffic stop uncovers loaded revolver
According to the Santa Rosa Police Department, Special Enforcement Team officers stopped the vehicle near West 8th and Donahue yesterday and found a loaded, concealed .22-caliber revolver on a juvenile passenger.
Police said the juvenile was arrested and charged with carrying a concealed firearm (PC 25400(a)(1)), carrying a loaded firearm (PC 25850(a)), and additional offenses that bar minors from possessing firearms or ammunition. The incident was logged under case number SRPD 26-7901.
Additional arrest and seized items
The department's post also identified 28-year-old Shyzaha Thorpe as an arrestee. SRPD said Thorpe was found with a pepper-ball self-defense weapon, bear spray and several rounds of 9mm ammunition and was booked into the Sonoma County Jail, according to the Santa Rosa Police Department. In its update on the case, the department added that "the Santa Rosa Police Department is committed to making the City of Santa Rosa a safe place to live, work, and play."
What the law says
Under state law, carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle (see Penal Code 25400) and carrying a loaded firearm in public or in a vehicle (see Penal Code 25850) may be charged as misdemeanors or felonies, depending on prior convictions and other factors.
Minors face broad restrictions on possessing handguns and additional limits on firearm possession, according to the California Department of Justice. Separate statutes further restrict possession of certain tear-gas weapons and ammunition by prohibited persons, per CALCRIM/Justia.
Part of a larger enforcement push
The Special Enforcement Team was formed as part of SRPD’s effort to crack down on illegal firearm possession and gun violence, a focus the city has highlighted in its public safety alerts. These kinds of traffic-stop gun recoveries match a broader pattern of firearms being seized during vehicle stops in the Santa Rosa area, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Case details and contact
SRPD listed the case under number SRPD 26-7901. The juvenile passenger was booked into juvenile hall, and Thorpe was booked into the Sonoma County Jail, according to the department.
Police listed Sgt. M White ([email protected]) is the media contact for further information.
