Deputies arrest six people shooting at mound of dirt in rural Santa Rosa backyard

Six people were arrested after gunfire led a deputy to a rural property off Stony Point Road south of Santa Rosa Tuesday, Sonoma County Sheriff’s officials said.

Deputies determined the group was shooting at a mound of dirt in the backyard, Sgt. Spencer Crum said.

Deputies said the gunfire was unlawful because they were firing in the direction of a road and another residence.

A deputy responding to an 11:30 a.m. report of gunshots on the 400 block of Scenic Avenue first encountered a charging pit bull, Crum said. The deputy shot at the dog, causing the animal to retreat.

The deputy then encountered three men coming out of the backyard into the driveway, who turned and retreated to the backyard when the deputy ordered them to stop, Crum said. Two of the men eventually came back out and were arrested. A team of deputies searched for the third man. They eventually found him with another person hiding on their stomachs behind a trailer on the property, as well as two others in the house, Crum said. Authorities seized a .22-caliber handgun, a .22-caliber rifle, a .357-caliber handgun and a .40-caliber Glock pistol that had been reported stolen during a July break-in at a Rohnert Park residence. They found the Glock on the roof of the house.

They arrested:

Jaime Gonzalez, 19, of Santa Rosa, on suspicion of possession of a stolen firearm, negligent discharge of a firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, negligent discharge of firearm. Gonzalez had a loaded Glock magazine in his car that matched the stolen gun, according to the Sheriff’s Office;

Carlos Diaz, 21, and Daniel Vasquez, 18, both of Santa Rosa, and Clayton Cable, 18, of Rohnert Park on suspicion of resisting/obstructing/delaying an officer and negligent discharge of a firearm;

A 15-year-old Santa Rosa boy on suspicion of resisting/obstructing/delaying an officer, negligent discharge of a firearm and being a convicted juvenile felon in possession of a firearm;

Another 15-year-old Santa Rosa teen on suspicion of cocaine possession, possession of narcotics while armed with a firearm and the negligent discharge of a firearm.

Crum said they were also investigating any gang connections with any in the group. The dog was “expected to make a full recovery,” he said.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com.