Residents of San Mateo were left on edge this past Saturday when a series of seemingly random BB gun shootings were reported throughout the city. The San Mateo Police Department swiftly acted on multiple 911 calls, arresting three suspects concerning the disturbing events. Elder Larios Mayen, 19, Jose Ramirez Rivas, 20, and Emmanuel Vargas, 20, all residents of San Mateo, now face serious charges, including assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit a crime. An alert by San Mateo Police shed light on the harrowing incidents and the subsequent arrests.
The first attack occurred at around 7 p.m. near North Humboldt Street and East Poplar Avenue, with another following an hour later on Los Prados Street. In each instance, victims described a white BMW sedan pulling up before being shot by a passenger wielding what appeared to be a BB gun. According to the San Mateo Police Department, the victims recounted the shock of being struck suddenly in the body and face with gel beads.
The third reported assault of the night took place on Monte Diablo Avenue and involved a couple—the male victim and his pregnant wife—being fired upon multiple times. The police report recounted the victim's description of the white BMW passing by slowly before unleashing a volley of gel beads, barely catching his eyes. The attacker's car would make a menacing return to the scene to shoot again, the police report detailed.
Officers responded rapidly, locating and detaining all three suspects a short distance from where the last incident occurred. According to the report from San Mateo Police, three Hydro Strike Pulsar Gel guns and a bottle of Gel-Tek gel beads were found in the vehicle. All three individuals, Elder Larios Mayen, Jose Ramirez Rivas, and Emmanuel Vargas, were booked into San Mateo County Jail on the aforementioned charges.
As the investigation continues, the San Mateo Police Department urged anyone with additional information to come forward, promising to ensure the safety and security of its residents.
