Man Arrested In Connection With Mid-July Suspected Gang Shooting

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA – A 25-year-old man was arrested Tuesday in connection with an alleged gang-related shooting in Santa Cruz last month, police said today.

Jose Alonso Reyes was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, being a felon in possession of a loaded firearm in public and participating in a criminal street gang, police said.

The shooting was reported on July 11 around 9:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of Mission Street, police said.

The suspect was armed with a handgun when he approached two men in a car and demanded they step outside, according to police.

The victim driver steered the car away to Bay Street, where he saw the suspect continue to pursue them and fire two shots at the car, police said. The victims exited the vehicle and ran away without injury from the gunfire, according to police.

The incident was first reported as a random carjacking, but further investigation showed it was a suspected gang-related shooting, police said.

Detectives followed up on leads in the case and determined Reyes was the alleged shooter, police said.

On Tuesday, search warrants were served at Reyes' workplace in the 800 block of Almar Avenue and his Capitola home, according to police.

Investigators found a gun in the suspect's backpack and believe it was the same weapon used in the shooting, police said.

There were also clothes in the backpack that matched the suspect description provided by witnesses to the shooting, according to police.

• Also see: Santa Cruz Co. School Makes Newsweek’s 2016 Top Public High Schools List

--Bay City News