2 May Face Felony Charges in Seizure of Guns at CSUN

Felony charges will be sought against a Cal State Northridge student and another man, both suspected gang members, after a cache of weapons was discovered in a student housing apartment last month, campus police said Friday.

Daniel Cho, 18, a student at the school, and John Lee, 18, of Northridge were arrested after a Nov. 21 search of Cho’s apartment at University Village in the 10000 block of Zelzah Avenue, Lt. Mark Hissong said.

Next week, investigators will ask the Los Angeles County district attorney to charge the two men with possession of stolen property and possession of a firearm on a state university campus, both felonies, Hissong said.

Hissong said the officers found and confiscated seven rifles and four handguns and arrested Cho and Lee, who were in the apartment. Some of the guns were openly displayed and others were concealed, he said.

“It is probably the largest number of guns we have ever taken out of a campus apartment,” Hissong said.

One of the seized weapons belongs to a Northridge homeowner who reported it stolen during a burglary in October, Hissong said. Investigators are still attempting to trace the ownership of the other weapons and determine why they were in Cho’s apartment.

“We think it is gang-related,” Hissong said. “We are reasonably convinced the suspects are gang members. We don’t know if this is where the gang kept all their weapons or if this is just one portion of what they have available.”

Arraignment for Cho and Lee, who were released on $5,000 bail each, is scheduled in San Fernando Municipal Court on Dec. 13.

Hissong said the investigation began after a student reported seeing a man carry a gun into Cho’s apartment. When officers arrived, Cho granted them permission to search the apartment, he said.