There has been a third arrest stemming from the incidents happening at California’s Great America’s annual Halloween Haunt on Oct. 28.
Lieutenant Dan Moreno with the Santa Clara Police Department has confirmed SCPD arrested Leticia Saxton, 44, of El Sobrante in Hayward on Wednesday, Nov. 1 and booked her on three counts of felony: corporal injury to a child, assault with a deadly weapon and assault with a stun gun.
A cell phone video showing two teenagers in an altercation was circulated to multiple news outlets following reports of mass theft and a person with a Taser at the park’s annual Halloween-themed event. One of the two girls shown in the video was Saxton’s daughter and the other was the 16-year-old victim. Both attend the same East Bay high school. When the fight broke out, Saxton intervened, using a Taser she had smuggled into the park on the victim.
Moreno said detectives have been working since Saturday to identify suspects and Saxton’s arrest came after the victim, who suffered marks and abrasions from the assault, identified Saxton as her assailant.
It remains unclear how Saxton was able to enter the park with the weapon in the first place.
According to the California’s Great America website, the park has “implemented several enhanced security procedures at the front of the gate,” and all guests arriving will be required to go through metal detection, have their bags examined and any person with an item considered to be weapon, including pocket knives and metal chains, will be prohibited from entering the park. The website also states the park uses a “variety of methods” to ensure guest security including plain clothes officers and video surveillance.
Moreno said that even though Great America has standard security measures in place, those measures are subject to human error, which is likely how the Taser slipped through the checkpoint.
“It’s humans running it so it’s subject to human error,” said Moreno. “Great America is aware. They’re going to review their procedures. Stuff gets through, stuff happens, [it’s] human error. Humans are operating it and it’s just one of those things that happens.”
SCPD previously arrested two individuals—one juvenile for theft and an adult for public intoxication— and Moreno said the department is “pretty close” to making additional identifications. He anticipates more arrests will occur in the coming weeks. The department previously said 15-20 young males were responsible for stealing guest belongings, including more than a dozen cell phones. SCPD is currently working on identifying those subjects. Anyone with information regarding the incidents should call SCPD’s detective division, 408-615-4800.
Read our previous report here.
