Police say recovered rifle likely used in Petaluma shooting

Petaluma police said Wednesday they recovered a semiautomatic rifle believed used in an attack on an eastside home but so far have made no arrests.

The .30-caliber M1 carbine was pulled from bushes near the Santa Clara Lane residence that at least one gunman sprayed with bullets early Tuesday, Capt. Dave Sears said.

No one was hit in the shooting, which police say might be retaliation for a previous gang fight. However, it struck a nerve among residents of the usually quiet street who said they are fed up with gang violence and want the family to move out.

"The neighbors can rest assured we recovered the weapon and got it off the streets," Sears said. "The hard part is finding the suspects. They know we're looking for them."

Witnesses told police that a man with a gun jumped from a silver sedan that pulled in front of the house around midnight and began firing.

At least 20 shots ripped across the front of the house and smashed a window in a car parked in the driveway. Some bullets tore into a living room wall and nearly struck Ronal Bonilla, 20, who had been standing near the front door, the family said.

At least five other people in the house, including two toddlers, were unhurt.

Investigators were checking the possibility the attack was related to a June 30 fight in front of the house involving Bonilla and a younger brother, Sears said.

In that case, a group of men threw rocks at the house, and the brothers emerged with bats and knives. A man was stabbed, and Bonilla was arrested, but he was released pending the filing of formal charges.

Sears said the shooting investigation is complicated by the previous incident and because most of the people involved have gang ties.

"It's challenging because the people are less than enthusiastic about cooperating," Sears said.

He said the rifle will be processed for fingerprints and that detectives are following several leads.

Meanwhile, eviction proceedings began against the family earlier this month, and they are due out of the residence by Aug. 1.

He said the department is under a mandate to try to eliminate gangs and has been making progress.

"On this one, the level of escalation jumped up there," he said. "We're throwing a lot of resources at this."

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 762-7297 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com.