Gang Member Accused In Shooting At Rohnert Park Party

ROHNERT PARK, CA — A Santa Rosa teenager believed to be a gang member is accused in a shooting that happened over the weekend at a party in Rohnert Park, according to officials with the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety. The shooting was reported to law enforcement Sunday when an 18-year-old man went into a local hospital for treatment of a non- life-threatening gunshot wound, Rohnert Park police said in a news release.

The victim told investigators he was shot at a party held at a residence in the 5000 block of Snyder Lane in Rohnert Park when he was trying stop three other males from stealing his friend's backpack, police said.

The victim said one of the suspects shot him in the leg, then took off with the other suspects with some of the property from his friend's backpack, police said.

According to police, the victim and his friends found out about the party through an advertisement on social media.

Rohnert Park detectives further learned that the shooting suspect had a nickname and was believed to be a gang member from Santa Rosa.

To try and identify the suspect, detectives with Rohnert Park DPS contacted detectives with Santa Rosa Police Department's Gang Crimes Unit and confirmed that based on the suspect's street name, he was 16 years old and was a known Santa Rosa gang member, police officials said.

After the victim positively identified the 16-year-old as the person who shot him, a Santa Rosa officer located the suspect sitting inside a car at 9:49 p.m. Sunday in Santa Rosa, according to police officials.

"When the officer contacted the suspect he found a loaded handgun in the car," Rohnert Park DPS officials said.

Santa Rosa police took the suspect into custody and when he was brought back to Rohnert Park for further investigation, detectives determined the gun the 16-year-old was found in possession of matched the gun described by the victim, according to Rohnert Park DPS.

The suspect — whose name was not provided because of his age — was booked into Sonoma County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of robbery and assault with a firearm on the Rohnert Park case, as well as possessing a loaded firearm in a vehicle, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and providing false identification to Santa Rosa police.

Monday morning, Rohnert Park detectives were still trying to identify the people the suspect was with at the time of the robbery and shooting.

Rohnert Park DPS is asking anyone who was at the party on Snyder Lane or anyone who has information about what happened to contact the Rohnert Park DPS Investigations Bureau at 707-584-2630 or rpdpsinvestigations@rpcity.org.