Teens injured in shooting, robbery at Santa Rosa Transit Mall
By Carlos E. Castañeda
Two teenagers were injured during a shooting and armed robbery at the Santa Rosa Transit Mall on Sunday, and the suspects are still at large, police said.
The incident happened at about 6:26 p.m. at the mall located at 500 2nd Street. The Santa Rosa Police Department said in a press release that officers responded to multiple reports of a shooting at the mall and found a 15-year-old boy who had been shot, with the bullet traveling through his body, leaving entry and exit wounds in his upper shoulder and mid-back area.
The teen was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, police said.
About 20 minutes later, another victim – a 14-year-old boy – was found to have a gunshot grazing wound to the waist, police said. It’s believed the injury came from the same bullet that struck the 15-year-old. The second teen was also taken to a hospital; both teens have since been treated and released, police said.
Investigators determined that four teenage boys were waiting for a bus at the Transit Mall when they were accosted by two young adult men wearing ski masks and dark clothing. Police said the men demanded the boys hand over personal property while one of the suspects pulled out a handgun, and that during the robbery, the 15-year-old victim was “pistol-whipped” on the side of his head and then shot once in the shoulder.
The suspects fled from the scene with the victims’ property before officers arrived, running in the direction of Julliard Park, police said. A search for the suspects included support from the department’s K9 unit and a Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, but no suspects or the firearm used were found.
The Transit Mall was temporarily closed during the suspect search and investigation into the shooting.
The Sonoma County Alliance Community Engagement and Safety Rewards Fund was offering $2,500 for information leading to the arrest of the two suspects involved.
Anyone with information about the incident was encouraged to contact the Santa Rosa Police Department’s violent crimes tipline at 707-543-3590 or submit tips anonymously online at srcity.org/CrimeTips.
