Mass shooting in Sacramento eyed as possible gang war: cops

Sacramento police reportedly believe the mass shooting, which killed six and injured a dozen others, may have been a gangland firefight that left innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire.

Sources told the Los Angeles Times that early Sunday’s California bloodbath appeared to involve rival gangs using automatic and semi-automatic weapons, including one group who fired while driving by in a car.

One of those arrested for having a gun at the scene was also listed in court documents as a “validated” gang member, the Sacramento Bee said.

Police spokesman Sgt. Zach Eaton confirmed to the local newspaper that detectives are “closely investigating” the possibility that gangs were involved.

“I can’t confirm gangs were involved, but we can’t rule it out either,” Eaton told the Bee.

“It’s a motive issue, we’re definitely looking at motive,” he said, warning that it might take “a little while” to be sure.

More than 100 shots were fired in the early hours of Sunday, ousting people from clubs and bars running for their lives.

One of two brothers arrested as suspects, Smiley Martin, 27, was only released after his early release from a 10-year sentence – despite prosecutors warning that he was “a significant, unacceptable safety risk to the community.” “ represent.

“Martin’s criminal behavior is violent and protracted,” a Sacramento prosecutor previously warned. “Martin has committed multiple criminal offenses and clearly has little regard for life and the law.”

Martin – who remains hospitalized with serious injuries from the shooting – has been charged with possession of a machine gun.

He was seen brandishing a gun in a Facebook Live video hours before the massacre – alongside Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, 32, one of the six who were soon killed, according to footage shared by KPIX 5.

Family members confirmed to the broadcaster that Hoye-Lucchesi – who was also known as Jay Cee – was the man in the alarming clip with Martin, who he also posed for a Facebook photo with last month.

The footage also showed Smiley’s 26-year-old brother Dandrae Martin, the first suspect later arrested by a banned person for gun possession, a charge his brother also faces.

A local who saw the group film the social media clip said he was so alarmed that he called 911.

“It looks to me like they’re going to do some sort of OK Corral showdown,” the local, who asked not to be identified for his safety, told KPIX 5.

Police believe Smiley – who remains hospitalized with serious injuries from the shooting – converted a gun to fire automatically, which led to the machine gun load.

“They are very, very dangerous,” Eaton, the police spokesman, told the Bee of the converted weapons. “They’re configured to fire a lot of rounds in a very, very short time.”

Daviyonne Dawson, the 31-year-old who is listed as a “validated” gang member, was also charged with being a prohibited person who carries a gun after he was caught with a handgun immediately afterwards, police said.

“At this time, Dawson will not be charged with crimes directly related to the shootings,” police said. He was later released from the main Sacramento County jail after posting $500,000 bail, the Bee said.

Dandrae Martin – who said on social media that he was also “hit” by gunfire – wore orange prison scrubs as he appeared in Sacramento Superior Court on Tuesday on a single charge of illegal gun possession.

He did not submit a plea and was held in custody before his next hearing, scheduled for April 26.

“This is obviously very serious,” his volunteer attorney, Linda Parisi, told the LA Times in court, insisting the suspect’s mood was “very somber.”

So far, no one has been charged with manslaughter.