Fifth Shooting Suspect Arrested
The San Luis Obispo police have the fifth Santa Rosa Park shooting suspect in custody.
Benjamin Adam Ma, 19
According to the San Luis Obispo Police Department, Benjamin Adam Ma, 19, of Fresno, is a suspect in a shooting that occurred on November 7, 2012, and was arrested by the Fresno police for the outstanding warrant for his arrest related to the shooting.
In the November 7 shooting, officers responded to a call around 12:09 a.m., regarding a man screaming at the Santa Rosa Park.
Police say they found a male victim who was shot in the back with a small-caliber bullet, which the doctors were unable to remove as it was lodged between two vertebras near to the spinal cord. The victim continues to suffer from partial paralysis in his right leg.
“We are not releasing who we believe the shooter is at this time,” the SLOPD Lieutenant John Bledsoe said. “We still have one outstanding suspect and the investigation is not complete.”
The shooting occurred at the Santa Rosa Park
Investigators say the suspects met with the victim in San Luis Obispo for a drug transaction. The victim, whose identity is not being released, was trying to buy a large quantity of marijuana.
According to police, the suspects intended to rob him of his money instead. Once confronted, the victim ran away but was shot in the back by one of the suspects as he fled.
Police have captured four other suspects earlier who are: Tyler Garrett Silveira, 20, of San Luis Obispo, Gannon Rene del Fierro, 18, of San Luis Obispo, Nicholas Joseph Lopez, 18, of San Luis Obispo and Jeffrey Mana Sigxaydene, 19, of Fresno. All were detained for assault with a firearm. Ma and another suspect, Mitchell Soundara, 18, of Fresno, however, eluded police at that time.
Mitchell Soundara, 18
Police say Ma was found sitting outside a liquor store and has since been transported to the San Luis Obispo County Jail, where he is being held on $500,000 bail. Ma is being charged with attempted murder, robbery, assault with deadly weapon, sales of marijuana and multiple firearms possession/use with enhancements.
When asked if there is any gang involvement, Bledsoe said, “There doesn’t appear to be any gang connection.”
There is still an outstanding arrest warrant for Soundara, whose whereabouts are unknown.
Police are asking anyone with information regarding the sixth suspect or this crime to call the San Luis Obispo Police Department at (805)781-7317 or Crime Stopper at (805)549-STOP.
Read More:
The Tribune: Fifth suspect in shooting at SLO’s Santa Rosa Park is arrested
Cal Coastal News: Fresno man jailed for park shooting
