A double attempted homicide which Hollister police believe is
gang-related put two teens in the hospital with shotgun wounds
Friday, and highlighted a spike in recent gang activity and
increased violence, according to the police chief.
Hollister – A double attempted homicide which Hollister police believe is gang-related put two teens in the hospital with shotgun wounds Friday, and highlighted a spike in recent gang activity and increased violence, according to the police chief.
Two 19-year-old Hollister males are in stable condition at a San Jose-area hospital after unknown gunmen shot each man one time in the chest with a shotgun in front of a residence in the 1100 block of Central Avenue Friday night, said Hollister police spokesman George Ramirez.
After hearing the blasts, a neighbor called police just before 9pm and officers found the two men outside the residence, still conscious, Ramirez said. One of the teens was transported to Hazel Hawkins Hospital and then flown via air ambulance to a San Jose-area hospital, which police are not identifying to protect the victims. The other man was taken directly to a hospital in San Jose via helicopter from the scene, Ramirez said. No further information was available on the teens’ condition Monday.
Both victims have gang ties, and police are investigating the case as a gang-related double attempted homicide, Ramirez said.
As of press time Monday, no witnesses had come forward and police had little information about the crime. Detectives did not know whether the shooting stemmed from a drive-by or if the suspects approached the victims on foot, how many people were involved or how many weapons were used, Ramirez said.
In an effort to curtail any further violence associated with Friday night’s shooting, about 10 officers with the Hollister Police Department, San Benito County Probation Department and State Parole conducted a city-wide gang sweep Saturday night, Ramirez said.
“We wanted to diffuse any tension that may have been built because of this or intervene in any retaliation that could have been planned,” Ramirez said. While officers visited the 15 homes of people on probation who have gang ties, the majority were home and were found to be in compliance with their terms of probation, Ramirez said.
Police Chief Jeff Miller said police have noticed an increase in gang activity recently – from fights, vandalism and an overall increase in gang members’ presence around town.
“People are out and about, there’s more colors out there, more people hanging out,” Miller said. “There was a little rise in what appeared to be tension, so in being proactive on that (gang sweep) and letting them know we’re watching, it was designed to bring things back down a little bit. And we didn’t have any more incidences.”
Miller said from his communication with law enforcement in surrounding areas and media reports, Hollister is not the only community to report a slight increase in gang activity. However, he couldn’t put his finger on the reason for the spike.
Police responded to a second shooting Saturday evening in the 1000 block of Caputo Court, however there is no evidence to suggest it is related to Friday’s attempted homicide, Ramirez said. Although three people – one woman and two children – were inside the apartment when suspects fired four shots from a handgun into the apartment, no one was injured, Ramirez said.
There is no evidence to show the shooting is gang-related, he said.
There have been 13 shootings within the city limits this year, but there were no statistics on how many of those incidences were gang-related, Ramirez said.
Combating gang violence has been a No. 1 priority for Miller and his officers over the past year. The city’s Gang Advisory Task Force will hold its fourth community meeting next month to brainstorm ways to curb the problem, Miller said.
Specifically, members of the community will be tasked in helping officials tap into school resources as a way of alleviating the problem.
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or em*******@fr***********.com
