18-year-old suspect will not be charged in deadly Moss Landing shooting, barring new evidence: DA
MOSS LANDING, Calif. -- An 18-year-old Greenfield man who was arrested last week on suspicion of shooting and killing two people at Moss Landing State Beach will not be charged, barring new evidence, according to the Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni's office.
The suspect was taken into custody on Thursday on suspicion of being involved in the shooting, which occurred at a late-night/early morning party on Nov. 2 involving dozens of people on the road above the beach, Jetty Road.
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ABC7 Eyewitness News isn't naming the suspect until he is formally charged in court.
The Monterey County District Attorney's Office alleged that the shooting was gang-related and came after confrontations at the party between two rival factions, one from Salinas and one from Greenfield.
Two Salinas teenagers, 15-year-old Marco Antonio Perez and 13-year-old Nathaniel Flores, were shot and killed. They were shot seven and five times, and were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the DA's Office.
A third person, from Greenfield, was treated for two gunshot wounds at a hospital and survived.
Some of the tensions at the party involved threats of violence, vandalism, and accusations that some of the partygoers were stealing necklaces from girls at the party. The DA's Office said several necklaces were later found in the backpack of a party attendee.
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The DA's Office said witness accounts gave important but sometimes incomplete, biased, or conflicting information, including who shot first and whether firearms were seen.
The DA's Office said in a statement that it could not prove that any of the alleged shooters were not engaged in self-defense.
Investigators found 21 bullet casings at the scene that they believe were fired from at least two firearms, but no firearms were found.
The investigation remained ongoing as of Monday. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information was asked to contact Monterey County Sheriff's Office Detective Richard Geng at 831-759-7279.
