PHOENIX — A felon who sold a gun to a school shooter in Oroville, California has been arrested in Arizona.
On Tuesday, the Butte County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of 45-year-old Jesse Kitagawa Jr. of Phoenix. Officials say Kitagawa is a convicted felon and therefore it was illegal for him to have had the gun he sold to the shooter, 56-year-old Glenn Litton.
BCSO says Kitagawa sold the gun to Litton who then used the gun to critically wound two kindergarten students on December 4, 2024. Litton used the same gun to kill himself.
During an investigation, detectives learned Kitagawa sold the gun to Litton in April 2024 in violation of Arizona state law. On January 9, 2025, BCSO and Phoenix Police Department detectives served a search warrant at Kitagawa's residence. During the search, detectives learned Kitagawa sold the gun to Litton at a motel in Chandler for $300.
He was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Kitagawa was in court for his initial appearance on January 10. He is currently awaiting his next court date where charges are expected to be filed by the Maricopa County District Attorney's Office, according to BCSO.
