Deadly Shooting Between Rival Santa Rosa Gangs Investigated

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A shooting in west Santa Rosa late last week between rival gangs left a 19-year-old man dead, according to police. The shooting in the 2300 block of Lemur Street — off of 3rd Street and Fulton Road in the Vintage Oaks neighborhood — was reported at about 8:23 p.m. Thursday by multiple 911 callers, Santa Rosa police Lt. John Cregan said in a news release.

Police investigators determined that members of one of the gangs were in a car and as they drove down Lemur Street, confronted a group of rival gang members who were standing in front of a residence.

"Gunshots were exchanged between the group of rival gang members, and at least two individuals were struck by the gunshots," Cregan said.

Responding officers attempted to stop a Chevrolet Camaro as it drove away from the scene but the Camaro driver failed to yield, instead going to Sutter Hospital, the lieutenant said.

Officers were able to make contact with the people in the Camaro at the hospital, where one of the car's occupants — described as a 19-year-old man who lives on Lemur Street — was treated for a not life-threatening gunshot wound to his arm, Cregan said.

Not long after, police believe others involved in the shooting arrived at the hospital in a blue Nissan Sentra and left a critically wounded man on the ground, Cregan said.

Police identified the victim left behind in the parking lot as Juan Angel Rivera, 19, of Santa Rosa. Rivera died at the hospital from injuries suffered in the shooting, Cregan said.

Back in the 2300 block of Lemur Street where the shooting occurred, detectives with the Santa Rosa Police Department's Gang Crimes Unit served a search warrant and found a handgun inside the residence as well as one in front of the home, the lieutenant said.

Detectives continued working on the case throughout the night, and by Friday had tracked down the blue Nissan Sentra. It was parked outside a residence in the 4300 block of Stony Point Road, Cregan said, and "had visible evidence of being struck by multiple gunshots."

At about 1:10 p.m. Friday, the Santa Rosa SWAT team arrived to assist detectives with serving a search warrant at the Stony Point address. As officers approached the residence, "multiple subjects attempted to flee," Cregan said, but all were detained at the scene.

Police did not disclose the street names of the gangs allegedly involved, nor whether any of those detained Friday on Stony Point Road were arrested in connection with the shooting.

Patch was not able to immediately reach police Monday for an update in the case.

The shooting remained an "active investigation" as of Friday evening, with detectives seeking witnesses of the shooting on Lemur and/or of the deceased victim being dropped off in the parking lot of Sutter Hospital.

The Sonoma County Alliance Take Back Our Community Program is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect/s involved in the shooting.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Gang Crimes Team at 707-543-3670.

Completely confidential and anonymous messages about gang activity can be left at 707-543-GANG (4264).

Photo information: The shooting occurred in the 2300 block of Lemur Street in west Santa Rosa. Police reportedly found pools of blood in front of two homes, March 29, 2018. (Photos by Al Francis / Napasonomaphotos.com)