Southern Alameda County Major Crimes Task Force Agents arrest two suspects on a variety of charges, including attempt homicide, in connection with a June 13, 2015, Newark shooting incident.
On Saturday, June 13, 2015, at approximately 11:37 p.m., Newark Police Dispatch received a 9-1-1 call reporting shots fired in the area of Manzanita Street and Smith Ave. Newark Patrol Units responded to the location and shortly thereafter, two victims dialed 9-1-1 and reported that they had just been shot at in the same location.
The victims, both male adults, met with officers and informed them that they were in their vehicle at the intersection of Manzanita St. and Smith Ave when a they saw two men nearby. While the victims were attempting to make a left turn, one of the men standing outside, began to fire shots at their vehicle. While neither victim was stuck by the gunfire, the passenger sustained injuries from abrasions due to broken glass where a bullet struck his window. Scared for their safety, the victims immediately left the scene and called 9-1-1 from a nearby location.
Detectives from the Southern Alameda County Major Crimes Task Force (SACMCTF) were called-out to investigate the case. Evidence concluded that five bullets struck the victim's vehicle including one that was lodged into the headrest of the driver's seat. The sixth bullet struck a parked vehicle located approximately 150 yards north of the shooting and a total of six shell casings were located at the scene.
Follow up on the case continued through the early hours of Sunday morning and SACMCTF agents obtained information and evidence that led to two possible suspects. Subsequent search warrants were written and served by the Newark-Union City SWAT Team. On Sunday, June 14, 2015, at 6:00 a.m., SACMCTF Agents arrested Gorika Velasco-Gomez and John Weaver on the 38200 block of Manzanita Street in Newark in connection with the shooting. Both suspects were booked into the Santa Rita County Jail and appeared in the Fremont Superior Courthouse on Tuesday, June 16, 2015. They are being held on the following charges:
Gorika Velasco-Gomez (shooter), age 21, San Pablo resident. Velasco-Gomez is being held on two counts of attempt homicide, one count of maliciously and willfully shooting at an inhabited vehicle and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
John Weaver, age 25, Newark resident. Weaver is being held on two counts of attempt homicide, one count of maliciously and willfully shooting at an inhabited vehicle, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, one count of carrying a loaded firearm in public and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
If you or anyone you know has information about this case, we ask that you please contact SACMCTF Agent Jeff Revay at 510-552-4759.
The Southern Alameda County Major Crimes Task Force (SACMCTF) mission is to investigate major gang and drug crimes throughout the Tri-City area of the Bay Area. The task force is comprised of detectives from the Fremont, Newark and Union City Police Departments, California Highway Patrol, Alameda County Probation and the California Department of Justice.
Media/Press: Please contact Fremont Police Public Affairs Manager Geneva Bosques at 510-790-6957 or email at [email protected].
