Photo: Stock Image
Story originally Published By: Sonora PD
“On 10-07-2023, at approximately 10 PM, Officers were dispatched to the area of Rotary Park for a report of shots fired. Officers arrived in the area and two transients told Officers that they were shot at with a BB gun. One of the transients was hit with one of the BBs. The subjects were gone before the Officers arrived on scene and were not able to be located.
On 10-08-2023, at approximately 2:30 AM, another male reported being shot at with a BB gun and described the suspect vehicle as an orange and brown box-shaped vehicle.
On 10-08-2023, at 4:45 hours, Officers were dispatched to the area of Snell Street and Spring Hill Road for a report of a male who was shot in the leg with a BB gun. Officers arrived on scene and contacted the victim who said he was walking northbound on Snell when an orange Honda Element passed by him and shot him in the leg with a BB gun. The vehicle continued northbound on Snell Street and then onto Racetrack Road.
A possible vehicle match was obtained through the investigation and Officers responded to the address and checked for the vehicle. As Officers were checking the area, they located an Orange Honda Element and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. The officer contacted the driver of the vehicle, 18-year-old Matthew Clements of Sonora, and the two passengers, 18-year-old Vincent Gavello and 18-year-old Dominic Thomas.
During the investigation, information was collected that indicated that the subjects had the intent to target homeless people. Officers were able to locate the suspect’s weapon and were able to verify that it was in fact a BB gun. Clements was subsequently arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit a crime, and driving under the influence. Vincent Gavello and Dominic Thomas were arrested for conspiracy to commit a crime. Clements, Gavello, and Thomas were booked at the Tuolumne County Jail on their charges.
Luckily no serious injuries were sustained during the incident. This investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Sonora Police Department. We are actively working with the Tuolumne County District Attorney’s Office on this investigation.”
