Did Road Rage Spark Tragic Shooting Of Man, 18, At Watsonville Intersection?

A fatal shooting in Watsonville on Sunday was apparently prompted by a road rage incident and the suspect or suspects remain at large, police said today.

The shooting was reported at 2:14 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of Marchant Street and Maple Avenue near Watsonville High School, according to police.

Detectives learned that the road rage incident apparently involved two groups pursuing each other back and forth, ending with the 18-year-old victim being shot in the head, police said.

[Previous: Man, 18, Shot In Head At Watsonville Intersection, Dies Sunday Night.]

Officers responded and found the victim slumped over the wheel of his vehicle, which was driven partly onto a sidewalk. He was taken to a hospital and was pronounced dead later Sunday, police said.

The victim’s name is not yet being released. Police said the victim did not have gang ties, but said in a statement that “investigators believe there are gang overtones” related to the shooting and the department will allot extra resources to gang enforcement over the next several days.

Police said late Sunday that investigators were searching a possible witness to the shooting who drove a white vehicle similar to a Chevrolet Equinox.

Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to call the Police Department at (831) 471-1150 or the department’s tip line at (831) 768-3544.

--Bay City News

--Image via Shutterstock

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