Third man arrested in connection with Santa Rosa bar shooting

A third man has been arrested in connection with a weekend shooting at a Santa Rosa bar and restaurant that left one man dead and another severely injured, authorities said.

Police say they have identified Alfonso Mendoza Ramirez, 18, as a primary suspect in the early Saturday morning shooting at El Puente Cantina. He was arrested at his Santa Rosa home Wednesday night.

Investigators believe Ramirez and Jose Campos-Mendoza, 17, "acted in concert" when the violence erupted shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday at the Santa Rosa Avenue bar, resulting in the death of Santa Rosa resident Christopher Ochoa, 23, Sgt. Steve Fraga said.

Ramirez and Campos-Mendoza arrived together in the same car earlier that night and both were seen in possession of the firearm used in the killing, though investigators believe Campos-Mendoza did the shooting, Fraga said.

Fraga said "bad blood" between the parties stemmed from a simmering dispute involving family and friends and others who eventually "took sides." The violence erupted after what had been a friendly gathering of people visiting among several tables.

In the end, Ochoa and a second victim, Jullian Loeza Jr., 21, also of Santa Rosa, were left lying in the parking lot.

Ochoa was pronounced dead at a local hospital and Loeza underwent surgery for multiple gunshot wounds, police said. Loeza was expected to survive, though Deputy District Attorney Craig Brook said Wednesday that authorities initially thought he would not live.

Campos-Ramirez, meanwhile, was arrested near the shooting scene and has been charged as an adult with four felony counts, including first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of assault with a semi-automatic handgun.

He faces multiple life sentences if convicted, prosecutors said.

Campos-Ramirez is being held without bail at the Sonoma County Juvenile Hall, in the meantime.

A second man, Petaluma resident Daniel Escobido Calderon, 23, initially fled the scene but was arrested as a suspected accessory when he returned to the restaurant and was pointed out by bystanders, police said.

Calderon was in possession of the weapon apparently used in the shooting, Fraga said.

He is being held at the Sonoma County Jail on an accessory charge and a no-bail immigration hold, as well, jail personnel said.

The investigation led police to identify Ramirez as an additional suspect, Fraga said. He was standing outside his Louis Krohn Drive home in southwest Santa Rosa when detectives arrived at 9:20 p.m. Wednesday, Fraga said.

Ramirez ran into the house, but investigators pursued him inside and arrested him without further incident, Fraga said.

Ramirez was scheduled to make his first court appearance in the case at 1:30 p.m. Friday, jail personnel said.

He is being held without bail, authorities said.

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