Boulder Creek man arrested after pointing air soft gun at Santa Cruz Officers

A Boulder Creek man was arrested after pointing an airsoft gun at Santa Cruz Police Officers.

On the afternoon of March 17th, Officers responded to Pacific Avenue on a call about a male adult who flashed a gun at a juvenile. The suspect threatened the juvenile with a firearm stating that he would “blow his brains out.”

Officers located the subject on Maple Street. When they approached, the suspect quickly turned away from the officers and reached for the suspected gun in the waistband area of his pants. The responding officers un-holstered their firearms and gave commands for the man to stop. The subject, later identified as 28-year-old Jeffrey Greer from Boulder Creek, pulled out a black pistol from his waistband and pointed it at the officers.

Initially, Greer did not comply with the multiple orders from the officers to drop the gun. Eventually, officers were able to de-escalate Greer’s stance. He complied, dropped the gun and surrendered. The black pistol Greer had in his possession turned out to be a BB gun/Airsoft gun replicated in the make and model of Smith and Wesson M&P.

” I commend my officers for their restraint and patience during incidents like this. I can’t applaud these officers enough for their use of training, judgment, and teamwork to deescalate this potentially life-threatening situation,” said Police Chief Andy Mills.

Santa Cruz Police placed Jeffrey Greer into custody for criminal threat with intent to terrorize, alteration and display of an imitation firearm in public and committing a felony while released on bail.