Gang Member, 16, Shot, Later Arrested In Santa Cruz

A teenage boy who is a known gang member and on probation was wounded in a shooting in Santa Cruz on Tuesday night, police said.

Around 10:45 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to reports of shots heard in the area of Mission Street and Younglove Avenue, police said. Witnesses said they heard multiple gunshots near a parking lot of a Burger King fast food restaurant at 2015 Mission St., according to police.

A short time later, officers received a report of a gunshot victim arriving at Dominican Hospital, police said.

Officers responded to the hospital, where they found the victim was a 16-year-old boy suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper torso, according to police. The victim was found to be a known gang member and on active probation, police said.

He did not cooperate with investigators and at first gave them the wrong location of the shooting, according to police. Eventually, the boy said he was involved in an incident near the Burger King restaurant, police said.

Once he was medically cleared, he was arrested and booked into county juvenile hall on suspicion of violating his probation, according to police. Investigators are looking into whether an increase in gang-related graffiti in the area is tied to Tuesday night’s shooting, police said.

Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information on the case is asked to call Santa Cruz police at (831) 420-5820.

--Bay City News

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