Shooting victim Juan “Sharky” Luna (Facebook)
San Jose Police have reported on the arrest of five juveniles who were tied to the shooting death of 20-year-old Juan Luna on Monday, March 9, at approximately 11:00 P.M. According to the San Jose Police, “Officer Osborn #4242 observed a vehicle driving in the area of Capitol Expressway and Story Road matching the suspect vehicle description in the March 7th homicide.” The Officer attempted to initiate a vehicle stop, but the suspects in the vehicle drove off trying to avoid being pulled over.
Earlier that day, a shooting was reported at a memorial vigil for Luna, and the same car may have been the one seen in that incident. One person was injured in that shooting.
According to Sergeant Heather Randol, “The vehicle fled, leading San Jose Police and CHP on a vehicle pursuit that ultimately ended on Highway 680 near Livermore.”
Friends and family set up a memorial for Luna at the location of his murder. (Facebook)
As the pursuit had continued onto the freeway, officers witnessed a gun thrown from the vehicle. The five homicide suspects, driving in a Ford Fusion, hit speeds of up to 100 mph on Interstate 680. The California Highway Patrol was called in to help, and took over the chase. The suspect’s vehicle was identified by the CHP near the Washington Boulevard exit in Fremont.
Dublin CHP units took over the chase at Highway 680 and Vargas Road, reaching speeds of between 80 and 100 mph. Then suspects’ vehicle sustained damage to the left rear tire. According to the CHP, the suspects were apprehended near Bernal Road in Pleasanton, where they finally pulled over into the center divider and were detained by CHP officers. The five juveniles who had tried to run from police were taken into custody and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail.
The San Jose Police Department reported that on March 11, 2015 their Homicide Unit filed the case with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office for review. The SCCDA’s Office then filed murder charges on all five juvenile suspects, charging them as adults.
17-year-old Jacob Lapenias, 14-year-old Arturo Garcia-Laredo, 15-year-old Michael Anaya, 16-year-old Thalia Ruiz, and 17-year-old Jasmine Rosales were all booked on murder charges under PC 187. The five juvenile suspects are also facing gang enhancement charges under PC 186.22.
Juan Arturo Luna with his newborn baby, image from GoFundMe.com
A GoFundMe site for the family’s support. As of this writing, they have raised $675.00. The memorial says “Juan Arturo Luna was a great person, he was full of life. He had gotten into some trouble but changed his ways because of his precious baby. He was an amazing father, brother, and son. Juan will be greatly missed, he was abruptly taken from us.” His baby daughter was born on December 31, just over three months before his death.
Read More:
CrimeVoice: SJPD Need Public’s Help in Identifying Suspects in Shootings
