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Motive unknown in latest El Rio shooting
STORY TOOLS 
More from County NewsA 17-year-old and an 18-year-old were shot in El Rio Friday night, according to Sheriff's Department officials who said they have not firmly established whether the incident was gang-related.
Officers responded to a call around 8:15 p.m. that residents had heard several gunshots. Later on, personnel at St. John's Regional Medical Center and the Ventura County Medical Center notified the Sheriff's Department that they were each treating a gunshot victim.
Officers found evidence of the shootings near Alvarado and Stroube streets, but they do not know the motive, nor do they have a suspect.
The two young men, whose identities were not available, were treated for nonlife-threatening wounds, according to a statement from the Sheriff's Department. Detectives are investigating the incident.
Anyone with information can contact them at 477-7000.
On Saturday morning, teens from the Sheriff's Department Explorer Program were in El Rio handing out cards with anti-gang information. The cards contain a toll-free hotline number — 888-58-GANGS — that people can call anonymously to provide the department with information about gangs, according to Senior Deputy Jeremy Paris.
Paris said the teens had previously planned to hand out the cards because of an increase in gang activity in El Rio.
They also plan to distribute them in Saticoy and Nyeland Acres.
Posted by italianmom on February 17, 2008 at 11:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well...let me be the first to comment. Since the Sheriff's Department got rid of their Crime Suppression Unit and created this NEW and IMPROVED Gang Unit, why is it that you never find them working at night. Maybe they feel that regular deputies can catch all the gang members for them. Quite disappointed by the new unit, maybe they should spend less time passing out anti-gang information cards during the day and actually spend their time questioning and arresting gang members at night!
Posted by frank14 on February 17, 2008 at 12:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
But aren't all the donut shops closed at night?
Posted by lrgvanman on February 17, 2008 at 12:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think time is overdue to get even more vicious on these gang lowlifes. It has just been too long tolerated due to the limitations of the laws and let's get cracking on it, huh?
Posted by peterpan11 on February 17, 2008 at 2:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sheriffs dept gang unit is a joke. Maybe they could take some cues from OPD's gang unit. Gang injunction, crime going down, gang members afraid in oxnard. Obviously they are doing something right.
Posted by bugmenot on February 17, 2008 at 8:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Dear OxnardPD. Please read this.
http://www.amazon.com/Marine-Corps-Co...
Thank you
Posted by pfg93003 on February 17, 2008 at 8:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I used to live along the Santa Clara riverbed back in the 90's and we used to get gang bangers shooting down there in the middle of the night with bullets going past my house often. I used to call the sheriff and argue with the 911 because they didnt want to respond because I was not sure where exaclty the shooter was; because they might be in Ventura jusrisdiction. I finally told the dispatcher that bullets dont stop at jurisdiction lines, and I was going to go take that guy out with my hunting rifle if they dont get out there. Well they finally did go out there and guess what he was in county jurisdiction after all. but I had to threaten taking things in my own hands to protect my family before I got any action from our sheriff office. I used to call about shots in the river bed at least once a month. I am not impressed with our law enforcement, but they sure do get nice salaries and live high on the hog at our expense. El Rio you are on your own most of the time. Beware and becareful, the criminals are gaining control of your neighborhood. Perhaps California should become a right to carry state so we can protect ourselves and others instead of letting the police be the body counters of criminal's victims.
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