Three teenagers have been arrested in connection with September's pellet gun attacks in the Hillcrest neighborhood, the San Diego Police Department said.
In early September multiple people were struck with pellets as they walked on the sidewalk. There were at least four victims in the alleged crimes, but none were seriously injured, according to SDPD Lt. Weeden.
Detectives from SDPD's Criminal Intelligence Unit were able to obtain footage of the suspected vehicle from a surveillance camera. Investigators then ran the plate and the suspect vehicle was then identified which then led to multiple suspects being identified, San Diego Police said.
On Thursday, Anthony Lopez-Quiniones, 19, Arturo Herrera-Sustaita, 19, and Angelo Nathaniel Aron ,19, were arrested for multiple hate crime related charges. They were booked into San Diego County jail.
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"The San Diego Police Department is committed to ensuring a safe space for all members of our community and acts of hate such as these will not be tolerated," SDPD said in a release.
Back in September, another 19-year-old was also arrested in connection with the crimes.
Just last week, another man was jailed on suspicion of taking part in hate-motivated tagging crimes in Hillcrest back in August.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call SDPD at (619) 531-2000 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
Victim of similar attack reacts to arrests
The news of the arrests prompted an immediate response from the community in Hillcrest.
"To be at that age and to be facing felony charges is pretty serious, and I'm saddened for them," Eddie Reynoso said.
Reynoso was the host of Rich's night club when he was hit in the eye in a different pellet gun attack in May. He says it changed his life in unimaginable ways.
“I was diagnosed with PTSD and something depersonalisation and those are, that happens as a way for the mind to disconnect from the trauma, so the combination of those things led to me being homeless and not even recognizing that I was homeless for several days," Reynoso said.
So far, police haven't made any arrests in that shooting, though they've offered a reward for any information that leads to an arrest.
"There's a little bit of a bittersweet feeling. I don't know if this is tied to my case," Reynoso said.
Police previously said they do not believe the attacks in May and September are related. But Reynoso says these latest arrests give him a sense of relief and hopes police will find the suspects involved in his attack.
"I've always held onto that hope, and I've never let go of it, and that's kind of what keeps me going," he said.
