Santa Rosa gang gunfire hits home, boy’s bedroom, cars

Gunfire broke out in three Santa Rosa neighborhoods within one week, including a random shot into a boy’s bedroom, vehicles riddled with bullet holes and a near-miss for gang members standing on a street corner, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office and Santa Rosa police.

Detectives suspect the gunfire involved gang members and that the recent spate of shots fired could be part of an often annual increase in gang action when school lets out.

“Historically we see a rise in gang activity during the summer-time months,” Santa Rosa gang Sgt. John Cregan said.

On Sunday afternoon, deputies called to Neville Way in southern Santa Rosa found three damaged vehicles and evidence of at least 11 shots fired, sheriff’s Sgt. Cecile Focha said.

The residents who alerted deputies said they’d found bullet holes in their vehicles and flat tires. Some neighbors told deputies they’d heard shots at about 12:35 a.m. Sunday but no one reported gunfire at the time, Focha said.

One truck was hit seven times and had serious damage including a shattered window, flat tire, damaged taillight, door and tailgate. Another person found three bullet holes in their van and a third vehicle had a flattened tire.

The deputies found no signs that any homes had been hit, Focha said.

Shell casings found in the street were saved as evidence but there was no description of a vehicle or shooters. The case was referred to sheriff’s gang detectives.

Late Thursday night residents in a southern Santa Rosa neighborhood east of Petaluma Hill Road called 911 to report hearing several gunshots and a car speeding off, Focha said.

Multiple residents along Santa Barbara Drive called, including one who reported a bullet had pierced the outside of his home and had gone into his son’s bedroom. The son was in the room at the time.

No one was injured. The bullet was found in the son’s closet, Focha said. Deputies didn’t believe the house or anyone there was targeted.

It appeared at least five shots were fired. Some residents reported hearing a profanity-laced argument just before the gunfire, Focha said.

Deputies also were told some men may have been outside of a home near where the shots were fired.

Several shell casings and beers cans were found in the street and gutter. The home was searched and gang members there were questioned. No violations were found and that case also was given to gang detectives.

On June 1, Santa Rosa police were called to a corner on West Ninth Street about a drive-by shooting targeting gang members after words were exchanged, Cregan said.

Cregan said the victims were lucky they weren’t hit.

The gunfire remains under investigation.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @rossmannreport.