Misael Acosta-Vences (L) and Jocelyn Acosta (R)
SANTA CRUZ — The Santa Cruz Police Department’s investigation unit has been working tirelessly to locate the person or persons responsible for a shooting last Wednesday at approximately 10:30 PM.
Police had responded to the intersection of Berry Street and Avalon Street Cruz on reports of gunshots. Upon arrival, they found a victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the arm.
The victim was then transported to a Bay Area trauma center and treated for non-life threatening injuries. Officers established a crime scene in the area and recovered several bullet casings. One stray bullet was even found lodged into the wall of a nearby home (the residents were home but none were harmed).
The shooting is being investigated as gang-related.
Agents from the Santa Cruz Police Neighborhood Enforcement team and Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team, along with Santa Cruz Police Detectives, worked long hours to identify a suspect in this crime. They located two suspects near an apartment complex on the 200 block of Button Street.
20-year-old Misael Acosta-Vences of Santa Cruz was soon identified as the shooter. He was arrested for attempted murder, shooting into an occupied dwelling, and multiple gang enhancement charges.
22-year-old Santa Cruz resident Jocelyn Acosta was also arrested as an accessory to the crime and faces charges of attempted murder, shooting into an occupied dwelling, and participating in a criminal street gang.
Both suspects are held on $400,000 bail respectively.
