A suspected gang member has finally been apprehended, two years after his girlfriend gained notoriety for a viral incident involving a mini AK-47.
The man, identified as Christopher Gonzalez-Nuñez, is said to have been recognized due to his online bragging and even sporting the infamous image on a T-shirt, as revealed by federal prosecutors.
US Attorney Highlights Social Media Evidence
Back in July 2021, the woman made headlines when a photo of her wielding an assault rifle during an illicit sideshow in San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood was shared by the police.
The driver of the speeding Cadillac, now known to be Gonzalez-Nuñez, has been found to have links to the Mission District Norteños gang, according to federal prosecutors. They reportedly established Gonzalez-Nuñez’s connection to the incident and the ownership of the vehicle by scrutinizing his Instagram account.
Assistant US Attorney Leif Dautch highlighted, “Not only does the car match a vehicle that Gonzalez-Nuñez owned at the time, but Instagram users tagged him in photos from the incident and mentioned him by name.”
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Firearms Connect Suspect to Hidden Cache
Dautch also noted that Gonzalez-Nuñez had posted a picture on his Instagram account depicting himself wearing a T-shirt featuring the image of his girlfriend holding the gun.
The suspect, named as Gonzalez-Nuñez’s “significant other” in court documents, has been charged with possession of three firearms and ammunition as a felon.
The firearms included two handguns lacking serial numbers, allegedly discovered during a raid on his residence. The guns, which were found in a backpack tossed over a backyard fence, were linked to Gonzalez-Nuñez through DNA testing.
To bolster their case and prevent Gonzalez-Nuñez from being released prior to trial, authorities have emphasized his alleged association with Fernando Madrigal, a former justice reform activist who confessed to killing a 15-year-old boy in 2019.
Currently held at the Santa Rita Jail, Gonzalez-Nuñez faces the possibility of up to 15 years in federal prison if found guilty.
The image of the armed woman leaning out of the Cadillac became emblematic of the perceived chaos in the Bay Area during the pandemic. Online reactions ranged from inquiries about her relationship status to calls for stricter gun control measures.
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