Oakland man dies of wounds suffered in San Leandro pot grow shootout
SAN LEANDRO -- A 25-year-old Oakland man died Thursday night from the wounds he suffered after an attempted burglary at an indoor marijuana grow operation in San Leandro ended in a gun battle between employees and burglars.
During the 4:20 a.m. Sept. 11 shootout, a security guard and site manager Victor Mendez were wounded along with one of the burglars.
On Friday, San Leandro investigators said Mendez was pronounced dead at a local hospital at 9 p.m. Thursday. He was struck by gunfire multiple times and had been listed in critical condition.
The unidentified security guard was in stable condition on Friday and the suspect remained in critical condition
According to a release issued by the San Leandro police, authorities received an early morning call regarding a burglary in progress on the 2000 block of Adams Avenue.
Arriving officers discovered there had been a shootout between people tending to an indoor marijuana grow at the location and burglary suspects.
As officers converged on the location, they spotted a U-Haul van fleeing the scene at a high rate of speed. Officers pursued the van after it failed to yield, chasing the suspect vehicle into Oakland. During the pursuit, the suspects switched vehicles, getting out the van and driving away in a newer model silver Jeep.
One suspect was caught on foot by San Leandro during an exchange of gunfire. The suspect was not injured and the U-Haul van was recovered and collected as evidence. Police pursued the Jeep for several more minutes until it stopped in the area of 31st Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Two additional suspects fled on foot. Police recovered the Jeep.
In its entirety, the pursuit lasted approximately 20 minutes. The two suspects who fled on foot from the Jeep eluded capture and remain at large. The two suspects were described as "two younger-aged Hispanic males dressed in dark clothing."
Police said the incident remains is an active investigation. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the San Leandro Police Department at 510-577-2740.
