Santa Rosa police arrest second of four in shooting threat against middle school student

Santa Rosa police arrested the second of four suspects who allegedly threatened to shoot a Herbert Slater Middle School student last week.

On Sunday, police said that at 4:45 p.m. Saturday, Violent Crimes detectives identified Ramiro Maldonado, 20, of Petaluma as one of the people threatening the middle school student.

Police contacted Maldonado at his residence in the 6800 block of Petersen Lane, Petaluma. He was taken into custody without incident, police said.

During a search of Maldonado’s residence, investigators located a replica handgun. Maldonado was transported and booked into the Sonoma County jail on suspicion of misdemeanor fighting in a public place and felony participation in a criminal street gang.

On Sept. 5, police arrested a 14-year-old Montgomery High School student on suspicion of making criminal threats, unlawful fighting and committing a public offense for the benefit of a street gang.

The student’s 16-year-old sibling was also arrested at that time on suspicion of felony possession of an assault weapon. But police said they do not believe the older sibling is connected with the threats against the middle school student.

The arrests stem from a “disturbance” on Sept. 1, at Herbert Slater, where several juveniles who were not students at the middle school entered the campus and started a fight with a student. The incident led school staff to issue a shelter-in-place order.

Then on Sept. 5, Herbert Slater school officials notified police of a video threat made by several suspects.

In the video, youths brandished two guns and warned that they were going to beat up the victim, police said. The video is believed to have been made on Sept. 3 but school officials did not learn of it until Sept. 5.

Police said the original fight on Sept. 1 was gang-related and the threat was a result of escalating tensions between the victim of the fight and the other individuals involved.

Police said at no point during the investigation was there a threat of an active shooter suspected. No threats to the school or general student body at either campus were made, police added.

Police said the case is still under investigation and law enforcement officials continue to work closely with school officials to ensure student safety.

Police officers assigned to the east side of Santa Rosa are expected to conduct extra patrols at both schools for the duration of the investigation.

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @pressreno.