Hollister police responded Thursday to the third gang-related
shooting on Central Avenue this week which sent a local man to the
hospital with a shotgun wound to his abdomen and left the suspects
wanted for attempted murder on the loose, according to police.
Hollister – Hollister police responded Thursday to the third gang-related shooting on Central Avenue this week which sent a local man to the hospital with a shotgun wound to his abdomen and left the suspects wanted for attempted murder on the loose, according to police.
The proximity of the incidences has police concerned about a recent spike in gang activity and the possibility of escalating violence.
Around 10:30pm Thursday, police responded to Hazel Hawkins Hospital where a 19-year-old Hollister man was seeking medical attention for a shotgun wound to his abdomen, according to Hollister police spokesman George Ramirez.
The man was conscious when police arrived and is in stable condition at a Bay Area hospital. The man told police he was shot while walking in the 1600 block of Central Avenue earlier that night – just five blocks from where two 19-year-old men were shot six days ago, Ramirez said.
Last Friday, two 19-year-old males were sent to a San Jose-area hospital with shotgun wounds to their torsos after unknown gunmen shot each man one time in the chest in front of a residence in the 1100 block of Central Avenue, according to Ramirez.
Ramirez did not have any more information regarding the men’s condition, and Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller said there are no leads identifying the suspects’ identities or whereabouts.
Police are also investigating Thursday night’s shooting as gang-related after witnesses reported seeing a white car, possibly a Honda, pull up to the victim and ask, “What do you claim?” according to Ramirez.
The inquiry refers to a common territorial question commonly asked by gang members to determine if someone is a rival gang member, Ramirez said.
Witnesses said the victim was then shot and the car sped off, he said. While police believe the incidences are between rival gangs the Nortenos and Surenos, Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller would not identify which gang initiated violence on the other at this time. Miller also said it’s too soon to determine if the attempted murders are related or executed by the same people.
“We’re looking into that possibly but we don’t know for sure,” Miller said.
Although police officers, along with those from the county probation department and state parole, conducted a gang sweep of 15 homes last Saturday night in an attempt to diffuse further violence associated with last week’s shooting, Miller said the third attempted murder in a week has officers concerned about the possibility of escalating violence.
Miller said there has been a recent spike in gang activity, which isn’t exclusive to Hollister but is happening in surrounding areas as well.
“This isn’t unheard of (in Hollister), but the fact that two have happened so close has us concerned,” Miller said. “It causes us to ask people to be vigilant to give us a call when they see anything happening, to help us be part of the solution.”
While Central Avenue isn’t the hub of gang violence in Hollister, it is located in an area of town notoriously rife with activity, Miller said. Gang officers will be increasing the amount of time they spend on patrol, however they won’t just be focusing on that vicinity of the city, Miller said.
“We have to be careful of locking into one area,” he said. “It affects the whole community.”
Anyone with information about the incidences is asked to contact Detective Tony Lamonica at (831) 636-4330.
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or
em*******@fr***********.com
