On January 20, 2012 Hopeton Bennett (age 17) and Christina Selmon (age 20) were shot and killed outside an apartment in the 400 block of Oaklawn Avenue. Bennett’s half-brother, Julian Velasquez (age 21) was also shot during the incident, but survived his wounds.
During the early stages of the investigation, three men were arrested based on probable cause: Abdiwahab Noorein (age 21), Abdulfatah Said (age 23) and Aldulaziz Mohamed (age 21). Witness statements and evidence confirmed these subjects were present during the shootings and that they fled the scene prior to the police response. None of these three men have been charged in the shooting, although Noorein remains in custody on unrelated drug sales charges.
Additional evidence gathered during the investigation now provides probable cause to believe that Julian Velasquez is responsible for the deaths of his half-brother Hopeton Bennett and Christina Selmon on January 20, 2012. Witness statements and physical evidence show that Velasquez and Bennett returned to the Oaklawn Avenue apartment with a handgun to confront the occupants there. It is believed they went to retaliate for a fight that occurred earlier in the morning. Velasquez’s actions caused the shooting deaths of both Bennett and Selmon. Additionally, Velasquez attempted to hide evidence and lied to investigators when questioned about the facts related to Bennett and Selmon’s shooting deaths and his own wounds.
Today, Chula Vista Police Department detectives executed an arrest warrant for Velasquez and he is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Attempted Murder and two counts of Murder. Detectives also conducted search warrants today at two residences in San Diego that are associated with Velasquez, one in the 2300 block of Donnington Way and the other in the 6500 block of Garber Avenue.
The investigation is still ongoing and further arrest may be made. Anyone with any information related to this case is asked to call the Chula Vista Police Department Crimes of Violence unit at (619) 691-5202.
