Santa Rosa police arrest 2 in weekend park shooting

Two suspects have been arrested in connection with a gang-related shooting in Santa Rosa’s Comstock Park that injured one man, police said Tuesday.

Held in lieu of $1.1 million bail each are Jose Bejar-Montejano, 25, of Santa Rosa and Eddie Almanzo Gijon, 26, also of Santa Rosa.

Both were arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide, carrying a concealed weapon while engaged in criminal street gang activity, as well as participation in criminal gang activity. Both suspects are detained at the Sonoma County Jail.

The shooting, which was reported at about 9 p.m. on Saturday at the park, 2536 Marlow Road, has police puzzled because the victim appears to have no gang affiliation.

Police said they failed to release the information on the shooting until Tuesday because of a miscommunication.

The incident began when a dark-colored Honda sedan drove up to a vehicle in the park’s lot, said Santa Rosa police Sgt. Chris Mahurin.

A man in the car opened fire on the parked vehicle, striking a man inside the car in the upper torso. After the Honda drove off, the wounded man was able to drive himself to a fire station on Stony Point Road, where he was treated for nonlife-threatening injuries, Mahurin said.

A description of the car went out and a short time later a similar sedan was seen on Corby Avenue.

Authorities said the car was stopped and a passenger jumped out and started running, dropping a handgun. Police were able to arrest the passenger, as well as the Honda’s driver.

“Based on suspect and witness statements and evidence at both scenes, we believe the men in the Honda were responsible for the shooting,” Mahurin said.

He said police don’t believe there was a relationship between the occupants of the two cars.

“We’re trying to figure out if they were just looking around for anyone to target as a victim,” he said. “We are doing additional interviews and re-interviews.”

Mahurin added that gun violence is up in Sonoma County.

“There have been a lot more shootings, especially gang shootings, as COVID is fading out,” he said.

Reach Staff Writer Kathleen Coates at kathleen.coates@pressdemocrat.com