Five juveniles believed to be involved with gangs, including one teen from Stockton, were arrested after a shooting and police chase involving multiple law enforcement agencies last week, the Livermore Police Department said Thursday.
Officers responded to reports of a shooting near Chestnut and North I streets in Livermore about 3 p.m. Jan. 28, according to a news release.
Investigators believe that a group of juveniles in an Infiniti with no license plates exchanged words with two other teens. The suspects exited the car and chased the pair over a fence, police said.
One of the suspects was armed with a hatchet and threw it at the two teens, authorities said, leading to a confrontation with at least one shot fired.
No one was injured and the suspects drove away, according to the release.
Detectives used witness statements and surveillance video to identify four teenagers and obtained warrants for their arrests.
Later that night, an off-duty Livermore Police officer spotted the Infiniti and followed it into Tracy. Support was called in from an Alameda County Sheriff’s Office helicopter crew, and the car was tracked into Stockton. From there, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol joined in.
Deputies in San Joaquin County attempted to stop the vehicle, but the suspects sped away, reaching speeds of 140 mph on Interstate 5 near March Lane in Stockton, authorities said. The pursuit continued onto westbound Highway 205, where deputies laid down spike strips. The car was disabled west of Tracy, police said.
Four occupants in the car were detained, three of whom were linked to the Livermore shooting, police said. The fourth suspect in the Livermore case was picked up on suspicion of disturbing the peace in an unrelated matter, according to the news release.
Investigators believe the incident is gang-related. The five suspects range in age from 15 to 17, with three from Livermore, one from Stockton and one from Pleasanton. None were identified because of their ages.
All are in custody at Alameda County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of being in possession of a stolen vehicle, the willful discharge of a firearm in a grossly negligent manner and assault with a deadly weapon. One teen also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
According to police, the suspects could also face charges in San Joaquin County.