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Sunday, May 19, 2013
Police: Bystander killed after gunfight at 28th and J Streets in Midtown
by Jared Goyette, published on August 18, 2012 at 5:28 AM
Storyline: Public Safety
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This article was produced in partnership with Ed Fogle at SacMav.com
A man in his 30s was killed during an early morning gunfight in the parking lot next to the Ampm gas station at the intersection of 28th and J streets in Midtown, according to the Sacramento Police Department.
Police spokesman Sgt. Andrew Pettit said that while it is still early in the investigation, the evidence police have collected so far indicates that the victim may have been an innocent bystander who was caught in the crossfire as two subjects fired at each other from opposite corners of 28th and J streets.
“It appears right now that the person that was shot didn’t have a relationship with either of the shooters,” Pettit said at the scene early Saturday morning.
Pettit said the police were dispatched at 12:35 a.m. after receiving calls about gunshots in the area and a victim laying in the parking lot. Detectives believe the exchange may have started near the Blimpie parking lot on K Street, and that the shooting did not appear to be a driveby, according to Pettit.
Nelson Rangel Junior, 40, said he was walking from a nearby bar, on his way to meet the victim and his friends when the shooting happened. He said he heard gun shots, and, as he got to the scene, saw that the victim was bleeding from a head wound.
"There was blood everywhere, he'd been hit," Junior said.
The parking lot and the gas station are popular hangouts for crowds leaving the cluster of bars and restaurants on J Street between 27th and 28th Streets. The area has drawn increased scrutiny from residents in recent months, as a spat of incidents has lead some to believe that the bars aren’t doing enough to keep the area safe.
Robert Velarde, 50, said he was walking in Marshall Park across the street when he heard the shots. He later watched as paramedics performed chest compressions on the victim before the man was taken away in an ambulance.
He said he thinks more should be done to make the area more secure late at night.
“If you live around here you want to be in safe a neighborhood, and Saturday night is not a safe night, that’s for sure,” Velarde said.
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Statement from Police Spokesman Sgt. Andrew Pettit early Saturday morning:
“Early this morning around 12:35 a.m. in the intersection of J Street and 28th Street here in downtown Sacramento, officers responded to the sounds of shots fired. One witness advised that they actually saw a subject that was shot, laying in a parking lot just west of us here at ampm.
When officers got here that’s when they saw the male. He’s described as a male, white, in his 30s., wth an apparent gunshot wound to his upper body. Medical staff arrived on scene and transported him to an area hospital.
Based on interviews we obtained here on the scene and information we gathered and the evidence, it appears that there were two separate individuals shooting at each other and this victim was shot in the middle of the gunfire.
So at this point right now, we’re still looking at all the evidence that we have, CSI and homicide have been called out here and hopefully we’ll get some more information for you as leads develop."
The press release:
The Sacramento Police Department is investigating an early morning shooting that left a male in his 30s deceased.
On August 18, 2012 at 12:35 a.m., police were called to 28th and J Street regarding the sounds of gunshots and a male who had been shot. Upon arrival, officers located the victim in a parking lot with a gunshot wound. Medical personnel arrived on scene and transported the victim to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.
The Sacramento Police Department's Homicide Unit and Crime Scene Investigations Unit responded to the scene. It was reported that shots were fired during an altercation between two groups near 28th and J Street. Based on the preliminary investigation, it appears the victim had no involvement in the dispute and was hit by one of the rounds fired across the parking lot. Detectives are continuing to actively investigate the circumstances that led to this homicide.
The Sacramento Police Department urges anyone with information pertaining to this crime to contact the dispatch center at (916) 264-5471 or Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP (4357) or text in a tip to 274637 (CRIMES). Enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
Jared Goyette is the editor of The Sacramento Press.
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Try placing a call for service, Thurs, Fri or Sat Night after about 9:30 PM....until 2:30 AM....anything less than "suspect with a gun"...."it may be a while, we have higher priority calls"!
As long as the public continues to support candidates who are just stooges for the public employee unions, this is what you will get. Steve Hansen is the latest puppet, taking thousands of dollars from police interests while claiming in public events that he isn't. When we let the SPOA write the rules for police staffing, you end up with dead bodies.
Would you still think the Midtown Entertainment/Bar scene is moving in the right direction?
"Nelson Rangel Junior, 40, said he was walking from a nearby bar, on his way to meet the victim and his friends when the shooting happened. He said he heard gun shots, and, as he got to the scene, saw the victim was bleeding from a head wound. “There was blood everywhere, he’s been hit,” Junior said."
Is this what Nick Miller was referring to in his latest "The Battle for Midtown Continues..."
http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/battle-for-midtown-continues/content?oid=7176663
The police cannot be at every bar in town simply because we are firing them daily, 'cause there ain't no money, so cutting salaries is pretty stupid, but all late night businesses need to hire their own security personnel who now need to carry firearms.
As far as banks...these guys have their own money and most banks have a sign on the door that says no hats and such. Like this is going to stop a bank robber? How dumb is that in this economy. They need someone in front of the front door to stop these guys from getting inside first. No hat, no head-covering of any kind and then you can come inside and maybe after you show identification.
The guy that thought it's just a couple of macho guys having fun down there on 28th needs to be in the middle of the next shootout. lol.
We will become another Stockton. You wanna see that here? I doubt it.
Donate to the Guardian Angels instead of spending money needlessly on your next two $10 drinks...can't hurt.
Next, I would like to remind Bill, Dale, et al., that this is still "America" where we are supposed to presume innocence instead of guilt. Bill, I would hope that you're just grieving and not just looking for another excuse to attack the bars and your former neighbors. If using this issue to attack the bars is your goal then you have sunk to a new low. Shouldn't we have all the facts of this tragedy before we indict the restaurants and bars on J Street? Most of the restaurants/bars on J Street are well run operations and concerned about being a good neighbor.
As for the Marshall School/New Era Neighborhood Association comment, I'm perplexed, Bill. Are you really faulting a neighborhood association for trying to work together with local businesses? During these hard economic times, you would suggest that we diminish our tax-base? Is trying to coexist with our business neighbors a bad thing? How has declaring war work out? The "usual" methods were employed for Pour House on Q Street and it still opened. How would you suggest we proceed?
Thanks to everyone for participating in the dialogue.
People do not always act their best in the face of senseless tragedy. My neighbors and I
are sorry for your loss.
Due to Vito and other's tireless work over many years, you found the neighborhood a place you wanted to invest and live. So it is better than when he and those others moved here. Burgua did the same before he left." The question is: What have YOU done or are you doing? How will both be better off when you leave? So far all I see in your postings are narrowly focused accusations, negativity, bitching and moaning--all that seem to be self-centered with no thought to the betterment of the entire neighborhood.
You talk about subjectivity--LIVELIER for whom now? And how livelier--like the 3rd murder in a decade that BIll states? Livelier and healthier environment for the many families with children who moved here, got to know each other and safely picnicked or played in Marshall Park evenings and weekends those years?
Harlows was the quality Alhambra Cafe then with excellent food and entertainment later at night. Favorite gathering place for locals, guests and some East Sac, Campus Commons and Land Park residents. Successful Simm's hardware store, stand-in-line popular healthy breakfast and lunch restaurant, vacuum and carpet store, A block south was a profitable Raley's Super Market, candy store, card shop, watch and shoe repair--all that many residents walked to and from. Houses lined K Street across from the Sutters Fort. Would you or Reed have liked that? I doubt it--too quiet I'm sure.
Think of others and do your research next time before you think you know all there is to know about an area.
As he says, "No amount of throwing blame around will bring our dear friend back."
The people who have worked on these issues with business and city leaders don't believe "throwing blame around" is the answer, either. They refer to existing legal and planning guidelines to encourage business and city leaders to create mixed use and active neighborhoods that work for everyone and are not (illegally) overconcentrated with bars, nightclubs and their attendant problems (including parking in and disrupting residential neighborhoods).
The current atmosphere -- created in spite of those legal guidelines -- led to ctf's friends death, and death, injury and harm (including degrading quality of life and property values) to many others. If business and city leaders chose to follow those guidelines instead, the atmosphere would be different and his friend might not be gone.
We can have - or could have had - a vibrant, mixed used Midtown that was more balanced in terms of serving business' and residents' needs, and not favoring one at the expense of the other; with a local economy that supported many venues, entertainments and services; that wasn't dependent mainly on alcohol and visitors with no investment in, or respect for, the neighborhoods.
That's what the laws and guidelines are intended for. Balance.