Arrest made in connection to Merced house party shooting, deputies say

An 18-year-old Atwater man was in jail on Thursday in connection with the shooting of multiple people at a house party in an empty north Merced home, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office said.

Detectives served a search warrant in the 1500 Block of Fir Avenue in Atwater to arrest Brayan Jesus Diaz, according to deputies. He was booked at the Merced County Jail on suspicion of assault with a firearm, and participation in a criminal street gang, the Sheriff’s Office said.

He’s held on $550,000 bail, according to jail records.

The gang-related shooting happened around 1:30 a.m. June 24 in the 5800 block of Rimrock Court, a street near the Merced Golf and Country Club, Deputy Daryl Allen confirmed.

Two men were taken to Modesto-area hospitals, according to the sheriff’s office. The home appeared to be for sale, Allen said, but hundreds of people were inside partying before the shots rang out.

The neighborhood is known for sprawling homes with large driveways and multi-car garages.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the Merced County Sheriff’s Office at 209-385-7445. Callers can remain anonymous.