Sacramento shooting: Suspect arrested in connected
Police initially had reported “multiple victims” after the attack fueled chaos in an area of bars and restaurants near the State Capitol.
Patrick Colson-Price, USA TODAY
One man was arrested Monday in a shooting rampage in the heart of California’s capital city that left six people dead and 12 others injured over the weekend, and police said more arrests are likely.
Dandrae Martin, 26, was taken into custody in connection with the shooting and faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon and illegal firearms possession, Sacramento police said. More than 100 rounds were fired early Sunday in downtown Sacramento amid a chaotic altercation outside the city’s entertainment district, which was packed with people leaving bars.
Police called Martin a “related suspect” and said detectives and SWAT team members found one handgun during searches of three homes in the area.
The arrest came after the six victims killed in the attack were identified. The Sacramento County coroner identified the three women killed as Johntaya Alexander, 21; Melinda Davis, 57; and Yamile Martinez-Andrade, 21. The three men killed were Sergio Harris, 38; Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, 32; and Devazia Turner, 29.
Some of the chaos before and after the shooting was captured on video, which showed an altercation around 2 a.m. Sunday. As gunshots rang out, people leaving crowded bars scattered.
SUNDAY REPORT: Police seek suspects after shooting killed 6 in Sacramento
Authorities did not offer a possible motive in one of the largest mass shooting in the city’s history, according to The Sacramento Bee. A month ago, a man killed his three children, another person and himself at a Sacramento church.
“The scale of violence that just happened in our city is unprecedented in my 27 years here at the Sacramento Police Department,” Police Chief Kathy Lester said at a news conference Sunday.
Here’s what we know Monday:
How many people were killed and injured? Who were the victims?
Twelve people were treated at nearby hospitals, Lester said. At least four of the wounded were hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. UC Davis Medical Center spokesperson Stephanie Winn said Monday that two patients had been discharged overnight.
Devazia Turner’s father, Frank, told the Bee that his son had gone to the London nightclub, which is near the shooting. Turner was with his cousin, Sergio Harris, when the shooting broke out. Both were killed.
“He was out just having fun with his friends,” Frank Turner told Fox40. “There’s just nothing to say. I’m just here. I’m grief, that’s all – grief.”
Kay Harris, Sergio’s sister, told The Associated Press she thought her brother had been at the London.
“My son was a very vivacious young man,” his mother, Pamela, told KCRA 3. “Fun to be around, liked to party, smiling all the time. Don’t bother people. For this to happen is crazy. I’m just to the point right now, I don’t know what to do. I don’t even feel like this is real. I feel like this is a dream.”
Some of the wounded were taken by ambulance to hospitals, while others went on their own or were taken by friends, Lester said.
A vigil was planned Monday evening in Ali Youssefi Square, nearby where the shooting took place.
How many suspects are there?
One person was arrested in connection with the shooting, but Lester said there are multiple suspects, though no number has been released.
The investigation continued Monday after officials reopened the eight-block area near the Golden One Center – where the NBA’s Sacramento Kings play. Lester said the crime scene was “very complex and complicated,” and police located “hundreds of pieces of evidence,” including a stolen handgun.
Lester did not say what kind of gun was used. Officials did not know whether the victims were targeted, she said.
Martin, the lone suspect arrested thus far, is being held without bail and was scheduled to appear in Sacramento Superior Court on Tuesday, according to jail records.
Martin was not arrested for any homicide-related charge, District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said.
“The investigation is highly complex involving many witnesses, videos of numerous types and significant physical evidence,” Schubert said in a statement. “This is an ongoing investigation and we anticipate more arrests in this case.”
His criminal record was not disclosed.
Chief Lester told KCRA, the local NBC affiliate, authorities weren’t releasing additional information on Martin for fear it could impact the investigation.
“This is a complex investigation and we’re looking for multiple suspects, so we’re currently working to identify what his role was the night of the shooting,” Lester said.
What happened during the shooting?
The downtown area was packed with bar crowds, and a large fight broke out right before the shooting, Lester said Sunday.
Jaron Moore, a security guard at a club near the scene, told The Record, part of the USA TODAY Network, that he was getting off work around 2 a.m. when he heard gunshots.
“It’s sad to know this happened. … I’m still in shock,” he said.
Asa Pickett, who was at the Dive Bar on Saturday night, said he heard about 100 rounds. He and his friends saw people running into each other, and his group found an area in a nearby alley where they hid for about 45 minutes.
“We came out, and there were bodies on the ground,” he said. “I was just hoping my friends were OK … everyone was OK.”
Video posted on Twitter showed people running in the street with the sound of gunfire in the background.
Police arrived on scene around 2 a.m. Sunday and found bodies on the street amid a large crowd. Multiple ambulances and other first responders were at the scene.
On Sunday, City Hall was set up as an information center for family members, and police created an online portal for the public to upload evidence.
What did politicians say?
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, in a series of tweets, called gun violence “the scourge of our city, state and nation.” He said Police Chief Lester, who began the job two weeks ago, has made preventing gun violence a priority.
“Words can’t express my shock & sadness this morning,” Steinberg tweeted. “The numbers of dead and wounded are difficult to comprehend.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statement sending condolences to the victims of “yet another horrendous act of gun violence.” He said his office was monitoring reports from the scene.
President Joe Biden called on Congress to enact gun control measures and thanked first responders to the shooting.
“Today, America once again mourns for another community devastated by gun violence,” Biden said in a statement. “But we must do more than mourn; we must act.”
Contributing: Angelaydet Rocha, The Record; The Associated Press
Contact Breaking News Reporter N’dea Yancey-Bragg at nyanceybra@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @NdeaYanceyBragg
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