Man with white supremacist tattoos shot in Winton, sheriff says

A shooting outside a Winton liquor store Wednesday night left one man wounded, the Merced County sheriff reported.

The incident began with an argument about 9:30 p.m. outside Turf Liquor on the 6000 block of North Winton Way, Sheriff Vern Warnke said Thursday.

Investigators suspect the shooting was racially motivated, Warnke said. The victim, who was shot once in the leg and once in the foot, had white supremacist tattoos, he said.

“We believe there is a solid gang tie,” Warnke said. “We do believe it was motivated by race.”

Authorities believe four suspects were involved in the incident, which was recorded on the store’s surveillance camera, he said. Investigators were working with the business to retrieve the video, Warnke said.

Descriptions of the men involved were not immediately available.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Merced County Sheriff’s Office at 209-385-7472 or 209-385-7445. Tips are confidential and callers may remain anonymous.

This story was originally published September 8, 2016 at 9:11 AM with the headline "Man with white supremacist tattoos shot in Winton, sheriff says."