Information provided by the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office.
Five are in custody after an April 1 shooting in San Juan Bautista. Law enforcement said all five suspects were booked on charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, child endangerment, and participation in a criminal street gang.
According to an April 2 release from the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 7:35 p.m. on April 1 five subjects were in a red Nissan Rogue on Fifth Street in San Juan Bautista. As the driver of the Nissan, a 19-year-old male, passed a group of male juveniles in the area of Polk street, he performed a u-turn and drove back toward the group.
As the Nissan passed the group, a male juvenile suspect extended his arm out of the window of the vehicle and fired nine shots at the group as they ran away. Numerous bullets struck and some entered a nearby home. One of the residents inside was hit by a bullet and transported to a local trauma center with non-life-threatening injuries, the release said.
Soon after the shooting, two California State Park Rangers arrived at the scene, as did the Hollister Fire Department. Rangers had heard the shooting when it occurred and responded immediately. Police said it was due to this rapid response that a “be on the lookout” was broadcast for the Nissan.
Without having to be asked to do so, officers from the Hollister Police Department self-deployed to strategic locations where they thought the suspect vehicle may enter the city. Hollister Police Officer Bryce Morgan located the suspect vehicle as it turned onto Union Rd from eastbound Highway 156, the release said. Morgan initiated a stop on the car that was still occupied by the five suspects.
Numerous HPD officers and deputies from the Sheriff’s Office assisted on the car stop on Union Road at Geneil Court. Police said the stop resulted in the safe arrest of the driver, along with three male juveniles and one female juvenile, all from Hollister. A search of the Nissan located a Ruger handgun and numerous shell-casings, police said.
The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank our partners at California State Parks, Hollister Fire Department and the Hollister Police Department. Without their assistance, this case would not have been solved in the rapid manner it was. Hollister Police were instrumental in locating the suspects moments after the shooting occurred, the release said.It is only through the selfless cooperation of our partners that we are able to come together to solve these cases.
This investigation is ongoing and is considered at this time to be gang-related.