Investigation continues into south Merced homicide, appears to be gang related, police say

Merced police on Thursday continued their investigation into a shooting that left a 22-year-old man dead in south Merced, resulting in the arrest of a 14-year-old suspect.

According to Merced Police Detective Kalvin Haygood, authorities are still interviewing witnesses. Investigators were in the area of the shooting Thursday, attempting to locate video surveillance or additional witnesses.

‘We combed the area yesterday, been doing it today as well,” Haygood said.

According to police, the 22-year-old man appeared to be sitting in a vehicle alone, across the street from his residence when the shooting occurred.

Haygood said police strongly believe the shooting was gang related and there is no indication that the victim and the subject knew each other.

Autopsy results are pending, but it appears the victim was stuck more than once during the shooting, according to Haygood.

Police responded to the 600 block of West 11th Street at about 3:14 p.m. Wednesday and located the gunshot victim. Police said he was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The Merced Police Department’s Gang Violence Suppression Unit officers arrested the 14-year-old male juvenile suspect nearby, after he was observed running from the scene.

This story was originally published February 11, 2021 at 1:14 PM.