Merced police search for suspect who shot, injured 4 juveniles

Merced police are searching for the person responsible for shooting and injuring four juveniles near the city’s downtown late Thursday.

Details are preliminary. According to Interim Police Chief Matt Williams, around 8 p.m. officers responded to the 100 block of West 18th Street for a shots fired call.

Arriving at the scene, police found one of the males on the ground with gunshot wounds, unresponsive.

Meanwhile, two additional victims were found nearby in the 1700 block of H Street, and a fourth victim was found nearby on 18th Street.

One of the victims was flown in critical condition to a Modesto area hospital, while the others were taken by ground ambulance in stable condition to hospitals.

Police describe the adult male suspect as being in his 20s or 30s and heavyset. A vehicle description has not been released.

Three additional juveniles who are friends with the four gunshot victims were present at the incident, but were uninjured, said Detective-Sgt. Rey Alvarez. One victim remains in critical condition.

Each of the seven juveniles are in their teens, Alvarez said.

After the shooting, police closed down the area surrounding that section of Main Street, checking surveillance cameras and interviewing potential witnesses. No direct eyewitnesses have been identified.

The ages of the victims were not immediately available Friday. No motive has been identified, but the gunman and victims exchanged words before the shooting, Alvarez said.

This story was originally published January 30, 2020 at 11:09 PM.