Three gang members under arrest suspected of robbery, assault near downtown Merced
Three gang members were arrested on suspicion of assault and robbery near downtown Merced on Friday evening, according to the Merced Police Department.
Suspects Adrian Rodarte,18, Jose Lugo, 22, and Ralph Chavarria, 20, face charges of assault causing medical aid, robbery, gang association and the felony gang enhancement. All three were booked in the Merced County Jail.
Police officers responded to a call at 4:12 p.m. that an assault had occurred in the 300 block of West Main Street. When officers arrived on the scene, they found two victims. The victims were approached by three subjects, who started using gang slurs toward them, according to police.
The victims were then assaulted by the suspects, police said, causing injuries that required medical aid. The suspects also allegedly stole a cellphone belonging to one of the victims.
Officers located the suspects in the 1900 block of K Street. The suspects had blood on their clothing and the stolen cell phone was found with the suspects, according to police.
Merced Police are asking anyone with any information regarding this crime to contact officer Benavidez at 209-385-6905. The public can send information via anonymous text messages to police department by dialing TIP411 (847411) and including the word “Comvip” as the keyword in the text message.
This story was originally published April 18, 2020 at 11:19 AM.
