Police Arrest Youth After Los Gatos Creek Trail Search Monday Afternoon

A 16-year-old African-American boy from San Jose, who forced the closure of several parts of the Los Gatos Creek trail Monday afternoon for more than two hours, was taken into custody at about 6 p.m., according to San Jose police.

At about 3:43 p.m. San Jose police officers were called when the suspect was spotted in the 2000 block of Southwest Expressway, near Stokes Street and Del Mar High School, said San Jose police spokesman officer Jose Garcia.

The suspect then fled into the Los Gatos Creek trail area and multiple officers were sent to the park to try and locate him. "People probably saw the officers and didn't go there [the trail]," Garcia said. "The trail was affected during the time the officers were there."

At about 6:07 p.m., Garcia said officers learned that the boy was at the Valero Gas Station at West Hedding Street and Coleman Avenue and at 6:17 p.m. he was taken into custody without incident.

The youth was wanted in connection with at least one armed robbery in San Jose, Garcia added.

The boy's ethnicity was released in an advisory sent to the media because he was believed to be armed and a description was put out, which including the clothing he was wearing, with the hopes that anyone in the area would help police capture him.

No streets were closed and vehicular traffic was unaffected, but the trail was closed while officers searched for the suspect, Garcia said.

No injuries were reported. The suspect's identity is being withheld due to his age.