A large illegal fireworks gathering in north Buena Park ended with multiple arrests after officers reportedly found two loaded handguns, illegal fireworks and a suspected explosive device during a traffic stop afterward.
The Buena Park Police Department said officers and firefighters responded on Oct. 24 to reports of fireworks in the northern part of the city. Authorities said a large crowd had gathered, causing heavy traffic congestion and raising public safety concerns.
As attendees began leaving, officers stopped a vehicle and allegedly found two loaded firearms, fireworks and what was believed to be an explosive device. The Orange County Sheriff's Bomb Squad responded and collected the device for further examination. The vehicle's occupants were arrested.
Video released by police shows two semi-automatic handguns, a revolver-style handgun, ammunition magazines, commercial-grade fireworks and the suspected explosive device.
Police have not yet publicly identified the suspects or announced formal charges. Based on the evidence described by investigators, prosecutors could review several potential violations of California law. These could include possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle, carrying a concealed firearm, possession of illegal or dangerous fireworks, and possession of a destructive device or improvised explosive device. Charges could also involve possessing materials intended to manufacture an explosive device, as well as firearms enhancements if any occupants are prohibited possessors or have prior felony convictions.
The most serious question may be whether the suspected device meets California's legal definition of a destructive device. That determination will likely depend on the Bomb Squad's forensic analysis. If prosecutors file only misdemeanor fireworks charges, penalties could include up to one year in county jail, thousands of dollars in fines, and seizure and destruction of the fireworks. Gun-related offenses can carry substantially greater penalties, especially if the firearms were unlawfully possessed or concealed. If the device qualifies as a destructive device, felony charges could bring multiple years in state prison, significant fines and added enhancements. Any sentence would depend on factors such as criminal history, ownership of the firearms, whether they were legally registered, and the forensic findings.
The case comes as Orange County agencies have sharply stepped up fireworks enforcement in recent years. A countywide review found more than 260 citations for illegal fireworks in five Orange County cities during the 2026 Fourth of July enforcement period, generating more than $600,000 in fines. Anaheim issued 42 citations and seized roughly 2,500 pounds of illegal fireworks, while Santa Ana confiscated nearly 1,300 pounds and issued 183 citations during its Independence Day operation.
Law enforcement across the county has increasingly relied on drones, social host ordinances and targeted operations to identify violators and hold property owners accountable. Based on publicly reported 2026 actions, the cities with the most enforcement activity appear to be Santa Ana, Anaheim, Orange, Newport Beach and Buena Park, though the county does not keep an official public ranking of fireworks arrests.
Police say these cases are about more than a nuisance. Large fireworks gatherings in California have been linked to reckless driving, assaults, illegal firearm possession, vandalism, street takeovers and fires. In the Buena Park case, what began as a fireworks complaint reportedly turned into a firearms and explosives investigation. As investigators await the Bomb Squad's analysis and prosecutors review the evidence, the suspects could face penalties far beyond those typical for fireworks violations.
