Two wounded, one arrested in Merced drive-by shooting

A man police described as a known gang member who is accused of opening fire earlier this week during a drive-by shooting in Merced was shot himself, apparently by accident, officers reported.

Dimitri M. Herrera, 21, is suspected of shooting a 25-year-old man about 8:35 p.m. Monday night on Calimyra Avenue in Merced. The victim, whose name was not released, was shot at least once and taken to a Modesto hospital, where he was treated and released, Merced police said in a news release.

Police said Herrera opened fire from inside a vehicle he was driving. “It is believed Herrera was accidentally shot by a second shooter in the vehicle,” officers said in the statement.

Detectives and members of the department’s Gang Violence Suppression Unit conducted surveillance on several locations where Herrera was possibly hiding out and eventually spotted him somewhere in Merced County, though the exact location was not available Tuesday.

Herrera was arrested without incident and was found to have a gunshot wound on his right arm, police said.

He was taken to an area hospital for treatment and released back to police. He was then booked into the Merced County jail on suspicion of attempted murder and gang charges. He remained in custody Tuesday without bail, according to booking records.

“The vehicle was towed as evidence and matches the description of the responsible vehicle,” police said. “The weapon used has not been recovered at this time.”

Herrera’s criminal history includes convictions for gang participation, domestic violence, and numerous probation and parole violations, according to jail records.

This story was originally published July 7, 2015 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Two wounded, one arrested in Merced drive-by shooting."