A 17-year-old arrested in the Sunday (June 5) shooting death of a 3-month-old infant in East Palo Alto will not yet be charged in the case, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe announced Tuesday (June 7).
East Palo Alto Police submitted the triple shooting and homicide case to the DA’s office for filing of charges this morning, but Wagstaffe said the decision would be delayed until Wednesday.
“In the meantime, follow-up investigation will be conducted to assist in the complete review of the facts surrounding the homicide,” he said.
Three-month-old Izack Jesus Jimenez Garcia of Redwood City was shot in the head early Sunday morning as his parents were leaving a baby shower on the 400 block of Wisteria Drive between O’Connor and Sage streets.
Police said two teens approached the family’s vehicle and opened fire in a case of mistaken identity. Izack was killed and his parents, Ivonne Garcia Lopez and Oscar Jimenez, both 22, were wounded in the attack.
During a press conference at police headquarters on Monday, Garcia Lopez, who sustained a gunshot to the buttock, winced in pain and wept as she discussed the attack. She said she threw her body across her two young sons, Isaiah, 4, and Izack but could not prevent the infant from being shot.
Jimenez had broken bones as a result of being shot. The 4-year-old was not injured, she said.
Police conducted a half-mile manhunt for the two shooters, arresting the 17-year-old and a 16-year-old boy at a home in one block away on Larkspur Drive after finding three handguns.
Both youths were booked into San Mateo County Juvenile Hall on weapons charges. Police arrested the older boy for the shootings after he made statements during an interrogation that police say implicated him in the shootings.
Wagstaffe said the 16-year-old’s weapons case will be handled through the juvenile court system. Since the matter is in juvenile court, no further information will be released about his case. The names of both suspects are not being released because they are minors, police said during a Monday press conference announcing the arrest.
The Weekly will post an update to this story after the DA’s decision Wednesday.
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I have mixed feelings about the posting of this child’s picture. On the one hand, it’s overwhelmingly sad. On the other, it’s just overwhelmingly sad. I’m so sorry for the family. People should be safe attending a baby shower, no matter where it is or at what time. I’d like to know where the parents of these teenagers were, why they turned their children over to such a tawdry life.
Condolences to the family. Such a beautiful baby. Hug your children close…. What a tragedy, so sad!!!!!
SAD VERY SAD. This should not happen to a new mother and new father. How cruel. And for those who are soooo pro guns who say guns don’t kill people kill, yeah, but guns make it easier to just shoot randomly and kill indiscriminately.
Do you realize the pain, misery and guilt these parents will suffer at the hands of these selfish and coward individuals? The parents will feel for years to come that they didn’t protect Izack to these cowards. After reading a story this morning from the mother on how close the older brother was to his little brother – this will create unexplained feelings to that older brother. Little Izack didn’t have a chance, thank God he’s in Heaven with our Savior today because he was so innocent. May prayers go out to the parents and older child.