According to Sacramento police, the weekend shooting that left six people dead and 12 others injured was the result of a gun duel between gang members.
According to the Sacramento Police Department, at least five gunmen fired guns during the exchange of fire between at least two groups of individuals, and the number of suspects could continue to rise.
“As detectives discover more about the shootings, it becomes clearer that gang violence is at the heart of this tragedy,” the Police Department stated.
“While we cannot comment on the exact gang affiliation of the individuals involved at this time, gangs and gang violence are inextricably linked to the events that led to these shootings.”
Dandrae Martin, 26, his brother, Smiley Martin, 27, who was among those injured in the incident, and a third unidentified person have all been apprehended by police.
Dandrae Martin is charged with assault and unlawful firearm possession, and police said they suspect he fired a weapon during the incident during a news conference on Wednesday.
Smiley Martin is charged with possessing a firearm by a prohibited person and possessing a machine gun, which is a pistol that has been altered to shoot like an automatic weapon, according to police.
Sgt. Zach Eaton, a police spokesperson, told The Sacramento Bee, “They’re extremely, very hazardous.” “They’re designed to fire a large number of bullets in a very short period of time.”
The third suspect was also charged with being a “prohibited person in possession of a firearm,” albeit he isn’t suspected of firing the weapon.
It was unclear on Wednesday whether any of the victims were shooters.
Eaton stated, “We haven’t ruled that out, and we haven’t ruled that in.”
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Sergio Harris, 38, was a member of the Del Paso Heights Bloods, according to court filings, while Josh Hoye-Lucchesi, another victim, was a member of the Crips, according to Salinas police.
