Update: Berkeley police arrest 3 suspects in deadly shooting near UC campus, seize guns
BERKELEY -- Police in Berkeley on Thursday provided new details on the arrests of three suspects in connection with a fatal shooting on Telegraph Avenue earlier this month near the UC Berkeley campus that left one man and three other people injured.
Berkeley police issued a press release Thursday morning, saying that the suspects in the early morning shooting on Oct. 8 were taken into custody Tuesday evening at around 5:30 p.m. in collaboration with the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force after serving simultaneous search/arrest warrants in Oakland and Union City..
The victim killed in the shooting, identified by authorities earlier this month as 29-year-old Isamaeli Semaia Mataafa, was a youth pastor and Master of Divinity student at the Pacific School of Religion.
Mataafa was one of four people shot at around 1 a.m. on Oct. 8 at the intersection of Telegraph Avenue and Durant Avenue following an argument, according to Berkeley police. Authorities said two suspects approached the group and started a fight. During that fight, both suspects pulled out guns and opened fire—striking all four victims and causing numerous people in the area to flee from the gunfire.
The other three victims were taken to area hospitals for treatment. School officials said Mataafa was out with friends and relatives in Berkeley when the incident happened.
Police said detectives spent many hours in their investigation, interviewing witnesses, reviewing video footage from the area and following-up on other investigative leads, eventually identifying the three suspects in connection with the shooting and then obtaining warrants for their arrest.
Police identified the shooting suspects as 23-year-old Oakland resident Michael Monrroy-Ramos and 24-year-old Andy Gutierrez-Rebollo (residence unknown). Both are being charged with murder and attempted murder, police said.
The third suspect, identified as 31-year-old Union City resident Jessyca Monrroy, was arrested in on suspicion of being an accessory after the fact, police said.
Police additionally said that a number of firearms were recovered -- including several un-serialized guns (AKA ghost guns) -- during the search and arrests. Authorities noted there was also evidence that other ghost guns were being produced at the location.
"This shooting was one of the most horrific acts of violence our community has experienced in recent memory," the press release concluded. "We are thankful we were able to bring those responsible for the violence to justice and we are grateful for the community's continued support."
The East Bay Times said all three suspects were being held without bail at Berkeley city jail in advance of arraignment hearings scheduled for Friday morning in Oakland.
