A Rancho Bernardo man was arrested Tuesday after police raided his home — allegedly finding ghost guns and explosives, including rocket-propelled grenades — in response to his teenage son’s purported threats to shoot up his high school, authorities said.
Neal James Anders, 45, was jailed on suspicion of possession of illegal firearms, manufacturing assault weapons and possession of destructive devices, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Anders’ son, whose name was withheld because he is a minor, was taken into custody Friday and booked into juvenile hall after fellow Rancho Bernardo High School students reported that he had made comments about carrying out a shooting at the Paseo Lucido campus.
“The teen’s parents were contacted regarding the incident,” SDPD public-affairs Lt. Daniel Meyer said. “A gun-violence restraining order was issued and served to the juvenile. A search warrant was obtained and served at the juvenile’s residence to secure any firearms (he might have had) access to.”
Police — who described Anders as a “doomsday prepper,” according to NBC 7 — allegedly found the cache of weapons during a subsequent search of the family’s Avenida Sivrita home.
Anders was being held at San Diego Central Jail on $300,000 bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
Updated at 12:40 p.m. Jan. 30, 2024
–City News Service
