Victim sixth homicide of year; second recent one at apartment complex
By ANDREA WOLF/Times-Herald staff writer
Article Launched: 06/27/2008 02:13:08 PM PDT
Another man was fatally shot outside Vallejo's Marina Vista apartments on Friday afternoon, the second homicide at the troubled apartments in about a week.
Witnesses reported hearing about seven or eight gunshots fired on Marin Street, near Pennsylvania Street, at about 1:30 p.m.
Several of the bullets hit 22-year-old Ronnell B. Rucks, who was on the sidewalk in front of the P building of the Marina Vista apartment complex, police said.
Rucks was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses said they saw a green, 2-door car speed off on Pennsylvania Street towards Sonoma Boulevard immediately after the shooting. No arrests had been made by press time on Friday.
The mid-day shooting drew a large, vocal crowd from the nearby apartments, many of whom said they were already on edge after a 19-year-old man was shot and killed at the 201 Maine St. complex on June 19.
Police declined to comment whether the two shootings may have been related to protect the integrity of both investigations.
Rucks' family members were gathered around the crime scene tape sobbing and praying for their loved one's life before they saw the yellow tarp pulled over his body.
A woman who said she was the victim's sister said he had been visiting his children's mother at the apartments when he was killed.
Vallejo police did not release any information about the shooting circumstances or possible suspect.
Friday's homicide was Vallejo's sixth so far this year.
The afternoon shooting followed a week of violence in the city's streets. Two teenagers were shot outside a Georgia Street party early Sunday and a 13-year-old girl was shot in the chest Tuesday evening from a truck driving by on Columbus Parkway. Police said the three victims' wounds were not life-threatening.
Girl, 13, latest shooting victim
Teen hit by stray bullet as she was walking with friends
By ANDREA WOLF/Times-Herald staff writer
Article Launched: 06/27/2008 07:16:30 AM PDT
In the most recent shooting in a violent week on Vallejo's streets, a 13-year-old girl was shot in the chest by an unknown gunman in East Vallejo, police said.
The girl was walking with two friends southbound on Columbus Parkway near Aragon Street at about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday when someone fired a single bullet from a passing vehicle that hit her in the chest, said Vallejo police spokesman Lt. Rick Nichelman.
Police said they believe the shot was fired from a dirty red or burgundy pick-up truck traveling northbound on Columbus Parkway and occupied by three white males. Nichelman said the bullet, which may have been fired from one of the passengers, traveled across all lanes of traffic before hitting the girl.
Police are uncertain if the girl was a random or intentional target.
At first authorities thought she might have been hit by a BB gun or pellet rifle, but doctors determined the girl had been hit by a larger round, police said.
She was taken to a local hospital where she remains in stable condition and is expected to fully recover, Nichelman said.
The other two girls walking with the victim were not injured. Police did not disclose any information about a possible motive for the shooting or if it was a random incident, but said the investigation is ongoing.
Tuesday's shooting followed a bloody few days in Vallejo. Detectives are continuing to investigate the early Thursday shooting death of 19-year-old Charles Chandler II at the Marina Vista apartments at 201 Maine St. Nichelman said police are following up on leads but no arrests have been made.
No arrests have been made yet in the Georgia Street shootings, where a 17-year-old male and 16-year-old girl were shot outside a party on Saturday night. The girl underwent surgery and is hospitalized in stable condition, Nichelman said Thursday.
Anyone with information about any of the shootings is asked to call Vallejo Police Department Investigations at 648-4524 or by anonymously calling Solano County Crime Stoppers at 644-STOP.
By ANDREA WOLF/Times-Herald staff writer
Article Launched: 06/27/2008 02:13:08 PM PDT
Another man was fatally shot outside Vallejo's Marina Vista apartments on Friday afternoon, the second homicide at the troubled apartments in about a week.
Witnesses reported hearing about seven or eight gunshots fired on Marin Street, near Pennsylvania Street, at about 1:30 p.m.
Several of the bullets hit 22-year-old Ronnell B. Rucks, who was on the sidewalk in front of the P building of the Marina Vista apartment complex, police said.
Rucks was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses said they saw a green, 2-door car speed off on Pennsylvania Street towards Sonoma Boulevard immediately after the shooting. No arrests had been made by press time on Friday.
The mid-day shooting drew a large, vocal crowd from the nearby apartments, many of whom said they were already on edge after a 19-year-old man was shot and killed at the 201 Maine St. complex on June 19.
Police declined to comment whether the two shootings may have been related to protect the integrity of both investigations.
Rucks' family members were gathered around the crime scene tape sobbing and praying for their loved one's life before they saw the yellow tarp pulled over his body.
A woman who said she was the victim's sister said he had been visiting his children's mother at the apartments when he was killed.
Vallejo police did not release any information about the shooting circumstances or possible suspect.
Friday's homicide was Vallejo's sixth so far this year.
The afternoon shooting followed a week of violence in the city's streets. Two teenagers were shot outside a Georgia Street party early Sunday and a 13-year-old girl was shot in the chest Tuesday evening from a truck driving by on Columbus Parkway. Police said the three victims' wounds were not life-threatening.
Girl, 13, latest shooting victim
Teen hit by stray bullet as she was walking with friends
By ANDREA WOLF/Times-Herald staff writer
Article Launched: 06/27/2008 07:16:30 AM PDT
In the most recent shooting in a violent week on Vallejo's streets, a 13-year-old girl was shot in the chest by an unknown gunman in East Vallejo, police said.
The girl was walking with two friends southbound on Columbus Parkway near Aragon Street at about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday when someone fired a single bullet from a passing vehicle that hit her in the chest, said Vallejo police spokesman Lt. Rick Nichelman.
Police said they believe the shot was fired from a dirty red or burgundy pick-up truck traveling northbound on Columbus Parkway and occupied by three white males. Nichelman said the bullet, which may have been fired from one of the passengers, traveled across all lanes of traffic before hitting the girl.
Police are uncertain if the girl was a random or intentional target.
At first authorities thought she might have been hit by a BB gun or pellet rifle, but doctors determined the girl had been hit by a larger round, police said.
She was taken to a local hospital where she remains in stable condition and is expected to fully recover, Nichelman said.
The other two girls walking with the victim were not injured. Police did not disclose any information about a possible motive for the shooting or if it was a random incident, but said the investigation is ongoing.
Tuesday's shooting followed a bloody few days in Vallejo. Detectives are continuing to investigate the early Thursday shooting death of 19-year-old Charles Chandler II at the Marina Vista apartments at 201 Maine St. Nichelman said police are following up on leads but no arrests have been made.
No arrests have been made yet in the Georgia Street shootings, where a 17-year-old male and 16-year-old girl were shot outside a party on Saturday night. The girl underwent surgery and is hospitalized in stable condition, Nichelman said Thursday.
Anyone with information about any of the shootings is asked to call Vallejo Police Department Investigations at 648-4524 or by anonymously calling Solano County Crime Stoppers at 644-STOP.
