Homicide reported in Atwater

A 24-year-old man was killed late Tuesday morning after being shot several times in the 800 block of Acacia Court, not far from Osborn Park in Atwater, police said.

Two men are custody. Atwater Police Chief Richard Hawthorne said the shooting happened in the street about 11:40 a.m. after an argument between the three men. After one pulled a handgun and fired at the victim, the suspects fled on foot. The victim, identified by the coroner's office as Michael Ramirez, was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead.

Witnesses provided a description of the assailants. The two suspects, Jorge Medina, 23, and Santiago Martinez, 19, were arrested about a half-mile from the scene by officers patrolling the area.

Police are still searching for the gun. Hawthorne said it's unknown what the argument was about, but the crime appears to have gang overtones.

Both men were being questioned at press time and were expected to be booked into the Merced County Jail on suspicion of homicide with gang enhancements.

Police are asking anyone with information to call Detective Adolfo Lomeli at (209) 357-6387 or Detective Armando Echevarria at (209) 357-6395 or the department's automated tip line at (209) 357-6390. Calls are kept confidential.

Managing Editor Victor A. Patton can be reached at (209) 385-2431 or vpatton@mercedsun-star.com.

This story was originally published December 21, 2010 at 1:57 PM with the headline "Homicide reported in Atwater."