Originally Published By: Santa Cruz Police Department Facebook Page
“On September 30, 2022, at approximately 8:26 pm, the Santa Cruz Police Department responded to a physical altercation between multiple subjects in the 1400 block of Ocean Street. Officers arrived and located a male victim who had head injuries and was semi-conscious. The victim, a 53-year-old transient, was transported to Bay Area Trauma Center in critical condition.
Officers interviewed witnesses who described seeing three juvenile subjects attacking the victim and stomping on his head. Officers also obtained video of the incident indicating the victim was running away from the juveniles before they struck him down. After the altercation, the suspect juveniles fled in a car.
Santa Cruz Police Operations personnel and investigators worked diligently through the weekend to solve this case. Detectives collaborated with Scotts Valley Police Department to positively identify the suspects.
Two suspects, a 16-year-old Scotts Valley resident and a 14-year-old Santa Cruz resident were arrested by Scotts Valley Police on Monday, October 3, 2022.
Both suspect teens were taken to Santa Cruz County Juvenile Hall on the charge of 245(A)(4) assault by means likely to cause great bodily injury.”
