Fight between rival gangs leads to arrest of three 15-year-olds and the recovery of a loaded and concealed firearm

On Thursday, November 30, 2023, at approximately 4:30 pm, numerous Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) officers responded to the Santa Rosa Transit Mall located at 500 Second Street, to a report of a large fight involving approximately 18 juveniles. It was reported the juveniles were wearing clothing consistent with active gang participation, displaying gang hand signs, and yelling gang terminology at one another. Bystanders advised SRPD Dispatch one of the male juveniles possessed a handgun. The bystanders stated he was seen pulling the gun from his waistband and racking the slide as if to move a bullet into the firearm’s chamber, before returning the gun to his waistband. Shortly before officers arrived at the Transit Mall, the group of juveniles dispersed, running away in multiple directions.

Two officers conducting foot patrol at Santa Rosa Plaza quickly responded to the area and were told some of the juveniles had fled toward the mall. The officers located a small group of juveniles they believed to be involved based on descriptions and locations provided by witnesses. When the juveniles saw the officers, they ran into a nearby retail store located at the mall. The officers ran after the juveniles and found two of them hiding behind a large piece of furniture in the store. Both juveniles were detained by the officers. 

One of the juveniles, a 15-year-old male from Santa Rosa, had a loaded, unserialized Polymer80 semi-automatic personally manufactured firearm (commonly referred to as a “ghost gun”) concealed in his waistband. The second juvenile, also a 15-year-old male from Santa Rosa, did not have any weapons in his possession at the time of his detention.

As the two officers were chasing these juveniles, a third officer was engaged in a foot pursuit of a third suspect in this incident. The officer saw the suspect, a 15-year-old male from Santa Rosa, exit the store where the first two suspects were detained. The juvenile ignored commands to stop and led the officer on a foot pursuit back into the store from where he had just exited. The officer caught up to the suspect and detained him in handcuffs. A knife was located in the juvenile’s waistband. 

The juvenile in possession of the knife had been arrested in September 2023, after he ran away from the scene of a traffic enforcement stop by SRPD officers and discarded a bag containing a loaded, unserialized Polymer80 semi-automatic personally manufactured firearm as he attempted to evade arrest (SRPD case number 23-11790).

Suspect 1, a 15-year-old male resident of Santa Rosa, was arrested and booked into Sonoma County Juvenile Hall for the following charges:

415(1) PC - Disturbance of the peace
186.22(a) PC - Participation in a criminal street gang
186.22(d) PC - Gang enhancement

Suspect 2, a 15-year-old male resident of Santa Rosa, was arrested and booked into Sonoma County Juvenile Hall for the following charges:

25850(c)(6) PC - Carrying a loaded, unregistered, firearm in public
415(1) PC - Disturbance of the peace
186.22(a) PC - Participation in a criminal street gang
186.22(d) PC - Gang enhancement

Suspect 3, a 15-year-old male resident of Santa Rosa, was arrested and booked into Sonoma County Juvenile Hall for the following charges:

415(1) PC - Disturbance of the peace
186.22(a) PC - Participation in a criminal street gang
148(a)(1) PC - Resisting arrest

A top priority for Santa Rosa Police Chief John Cregan is to reduce gang violence through education, prevention, intervention, and enforcement. Proactive patrols, the SRPD Special Enforcement Team, and the formation of the Gang Crimes Investigation Team will be key factors in addressing acute gang violence incidents.
The Santa Rosa Police Department is committed to using intelligence-led policing methods such as analyzing data, to help determine strategic resource deployment to quell gang violence. The SRPD will continue to participate participating in community engagement events to educate our community partners about how to assist SRPD in keeping their neighborhoods safe and provide resources to families. Additionally, SRPD is working collaboratively with programs such as the Violence Prevention Partnership (VPP), to identify upstream approaches, programs, and resources for juveniles affected by gang activity and violence. 

Of the nine homicides in 2023, five of them were related to gang violence. In 2022, four juveniles were arrested for possession of a firearm. To date in 2023, there have been 21 arrests of juveniles in possession of firearms. Gang violence is a community concern and needs to have a community response. The SRPD will continue to partner with our community to identify strategies for eliminating gang violence in Santa Rosa.


The Santa Rosa Police Department wishes to thank the many community members who provided our agency with the information needed to safely apprehend the suspects in this incident, and we are truly grateful that there were no injuries sustained during this incident. A significant reason the fight was unable to escalate further was because of the quick response of SRPD officers already on foot patrols in the downtown area. Throughout the rest of the holiday season, expect to see continued foot patrols in the downtown area, Santa Rosa Plaza, Railroad Square, and heavily trafficked retail areas.

Santa Rosa Police Department case number 23-15156.
Media Contact:
Lt. Christopher Mahurin
707-543-3656
cmahurin@srcity.org