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Teen Girls Remain Hospitalized After Deadly Morgan Hill Drive-By

MORGAN HILL (CBS SF) - Two teen girls who were injured in a fatal drive-by shooting in Morgan Hill last week remain in the hospital, a police captain said Tuesday.

A group of teens was standing in a grassy area near an apartment complex when the shooting occurred Friday around 9:30 p.m., Capt. Jerry Neumayer said.

Responding officers found four juveniles, including a 14-year-old Morgan Hill girl who was declared dead at the scene. A 14-year-old San Jose girl and a 15-year-old Morgan Hill boy suffered gunshot wounds to the leg and a 14-year-old San Jose girl was shot in her stomach, Neumayer said.

The two girls were taken to Valley Medical Center, and the boy was taken to San Jose Regional Hospital, where he was treated and released.

The girl shot in the stomach remains in critical condition and the one shot in leg is in good condition, Neumayer said Tuesday.

Police spotted a suspect vehicle fleeing the area and followed it to an address on Barnell Avenue. The suspects were persuaded to surrender and five people were taken into custody.

Those arrested include Esmeling Bahena, 18, from Morgan Hill, Ricardo Diaz, 19, of Morgan Hill, Fernando Mateo, 20, from Gilroy, Primitivo Hernandez, 23, and a 17-year-old Morgan Hill boy.

"We believe the shooters are gang members," Neumayer said. "We don't believe the victims are affiliated with any gangs, they just happened to be in the wrong location at the wrong time."

The last homicide in Morgan Hill took place Oct. 2, 2009, when Juan Jose Arrellano Jr., a 24-year-old Hollister resident, was killed in a gang-related shooting.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS SF. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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