Hollister Police arrested a suspect on Feb. 11 who is accused of attempting to kill a juvenile in a drive-by shooting that occurred last week, authorities said.
Hollister Police responded to a report of shots fired about 11:36pm Feb. 6 on the 100 block of Third Street, according to the Hollister Police Department. When officers arrived, they contacted a male juvenile suffering from a gunshot wound, police said. The victim was treated at the scene by emergency paramedics, then transported to a nearby trauma center hospital.
The juvenile is expected to survive the gunshot wound, police said.
The initial police investigation found that the victim was outside an apartment near the roadway when a pickup truck drove by and an unknown occupant fired multiple rounds at the juvenile, the press release says. The vehicle fled the scene and both the suspect or suspects and the pickup truck are at large.
Hollister Police detectives used the city’s new FLOCK traffic camera system to locate the vehicle allegedly used in the shooting, and determine the vehicle’s license plate information, authorities said.
On the morning of Feb. 11, Hollister Police Officer Lenin Pimentel located the suspect vehicle on the 1400 block of Fourth Street. Pimentel contacted the vehicle’s occupants and began to search the vehicle.
While searching the car, officers found and seized the weapon used in the Feb. 6 shooting, Hollister Police said.
Arrested was Rene Lopez, 21, on suspicion of attempted homicide and gun charges, police said.
A press release from the Hollister Police Department says Lopez admitted to having shot the juvenile in the Feb. 6 incident. The suspect told officers that the shooting followed a verbal confrontation where the shooting occurred.
Lopez was booked at San Benito County Jail. His bail is set at $570,000, police said.
Anyone with information about the incident can call the Hollister Police Detective Bureau at 831.636.4330. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call WeTip at 800.78.CRIME. Information provided to WeTip may qualify for a reward.
