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Morning Report: Sheriff's deputies arrest 7 after drive-by shooting
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More from Other NewsPolice and Fire: Ventura County Sheriff's deputies this morning arrested seven suspects in a drive-by shooting that occurred late last night in El Rio.
Witnesses told deputies the occupants of a white minivan fired several shots at a young couple who were sitting in their car on the 2800 block of Cortez Street about 11:10 p.m., said Capt. Monica McGrath.
Neither member of the couple was injured.
The young people who were shot at described the shooters' vehicle to deputies and said it fled toward Oxnard.
Deputies located a vehicle that fit the description at a popular hangout spot near the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Deer Creek Road south of Point Mugu about 1:43 a.m., McGrath said.
They found a .45 caliber handgun in the minivan and arrested all seven occupants, several of whom are juveniles, she said.
The vehicle had previously been reported stolen in Oxnard.
The investigation was still in progress early this morning, and information about the suspects was not available.
Sheriff's officials are investigating the possibility the incident was gang-related, McGrath said.
The young people who were targeted told deputies they did not know the suspects or why anyone would want to shoot at them.
McGrath said cooperation from witnesses helped deputies find the suspect vehicle quickly.
"It's really important when people call in as witnesses that we get good vehicle descriptions so we can follow up," she said.
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Sheriff's deputies also arrested two burglary suspects in Moorpark about 5 a.m. this morning.
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Traffic: At 6:54 a.m., the California Highway Patrol was reporting a vehicle in the center divider of Highway 118 westbound just west of Kuehner Drive in Simi Valley.
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Weather: Mostly sunny conditions with high temperatures in the upper 70s at beaches and the upper 90s in valleys are expected today, the National Weather Service reported.
Fifteen mile per hour winds are predicted for this afternoon.
Posted by sassy_frassy on July 26, 2007 at 9:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
im glad this couple or anyone else wasn't hurt. and awesome that this vehicle and 7 idiots were found quickly!
Posted by archtmf on July 26, 2007 at 10:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Just another incident showing why a county-wide gang injunction is needed. These little cretins and their kind are now doing more of their crap outside the boundaries of the gang injunction than inside. The gang injunctions work, and perhaps the best evidence of it is that gang activity is migrating outside of the injunction boundaries into neighboring areas and cities. I recently saw Colonia Chiques graffiti scrawled all over the brick walls of the Poinsettia Shopping Center in Ventura. And a couple nights ago on KEYT, they had a report about how the Oxnard Gangs are even starting to invade into Santa Barbara. We need a county-wide injunction for sure, maybe even a statewide one.
Posted by surfmedic91 on July 26, 2007 at 10:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
archtmf, this is nothing new seeing graffiti of one gang in rival gang/city territory. You are just noticing it more is all. It's a daily occurence that you don't hear in the news all the time.
Posted by Prissy_Leghorn on July 26, 2007 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"It's really important when people call in as witnesses that we get good vehicle descriptions so we can follow up," she said." They are very lucky that witnesses stepped up. We still haven't found the two young men who bashed in hubby's car door windows at the intersection of Victoria and Fifth Street in BROAD daylight.
Posted by BeaHappi on July 26, 2007 at 11:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
7 down, way too many to go!
Kudos to the couple for providing the detailed information that they did. They possibly prevented others from being hurt or killed.
Posted by AnnaWhaat on July 26, 2007 at 11:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good work on the Sherriffs Dept ! A quick catch!
Prissy, I remember your post and was hoping that by now someone would have came forward......sad.But Thank God your both ok.
I guess next time you will just have to follow them and bang thier car with yours to get the police to catch them. Well that is what I would do. But maybe not for everyone......
Posted by NothingButTheTruth on July 26, 2007 at 11:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The Colonia Chiques are doing the same as L.A.'s Crips & Bloods: Organizing across the State and United States. Juries need to quit believing all the snow jobs giving by defense attorneys and convicting more of these scum bags. Thank you God for allowing this couple to be spared.
Posted by rebel123 on July 26, 2007 at noon (Suggest removal)
NothingButTheTruth: Juries need to look at evidence presented from both sides. If they are not getting convicted, the DA has not presented a good enough case or the laws are not strong enough to mandate prison time. Don't forget, the DA is the one that makes the plea deals for time served or lesser counts, not the defense attorney.
Posted by sbrandenburg on July 26, 2007 at 1:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Man!! You can't even sit in a parked car, or even at an intersection without someone trying to kill you around here!! Sure would be nice if we could take matters into our own hands when stuff like this happens...
Posted by FedUp on July 26, 2007 at 2:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
build the friggin wall already! at least the flood of illegals joining gangs would slowly drop. then we can focus on the scumbag cowards who are already here. give the police the ability to profile, and we can end this crap once and for all.
bunch of third world mind set no good losers.
Posted by 805grl on July 26, 2007 at 3:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
anyone wonder where the parents of the Juvenile's were?? I know my kid wouldnt be out that late!!
Posted by RAINMAN on July 26, 2007 at 4:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i think anybody who is found to be gang member by the courts should have there 3 strikes rules revoked and have mandatory jail time for any kind of offense and things like this would not happen as often as they do
Posted by AnnaWhaat on July 28, 2007 at 10:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Kids are going to lie. Period. They could have easily told thier parents they were going to the show. Its not always the parents fault. Yes part of the time and maybe most of the time. BUT not all the time.
Rainman, you need to do your research on the three strikes law. Its not justified. Thats why most states do not have it. These idiots will have mandatory jail time regardless if they are a striker or not. They committed a crime. I've seen people get ten years in prison for being in a car that did a driveby.
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