Two suspects connected to gang wanted in Lake County shooting

Lake County sheriff’s deputies are looking for two possible gang members they suspect shot a man, badly wounding him in one leg.

Saturday evening’s gunfire happened in Kelseyville, on Soda Bay Road, authorities said Tuesday. Deputies were called at 6:15 p.m. to a shooting and found the wounded man being tended to by others who’d been in the area. The man, who wasn’t identified, was treated by paramedics and flown to a hospital outside Lake County where he remained Tuesday in critical condition, officials said.

Witnesses and the victim told deputies that two men had confronted him and two friends and the confrontation turned into an assault, followed by the victim being shot in the thigh.

Sheriff’s deputies identified the suspects as Sergio Alberto Fuentes, 23, and Juan Manual Renteria, 29, both of Kelseyville. Both men are associated with a criminal street gang but whether they were gang members wasn’t yet clear, Sheriff’s Lt. Corey Paulich said. The victim wasn’t suspected of being connected to a gang. Detectives suspect Fuentes fired the gun.

The motive remained under investigation but detectives are looking into issues involving a Fuentes’ relative and the victim, Paulich said. The lieutenant asked anyone with information about the location of the two men to contact Detective Jerry Pfann, 707-262-4236 or the Sheriff’s Office at 707-263-2690.