Two men involved in a deadly shootout that shocked the East Palo Alto community last year have accepted plea deals. In the middle of the day on May 17, 2022, a gunfire exchange took place at Jack Farrell Park, known for having children in the vicinity at the time of the incident, as per The Daily Post.
San Mateo County District Attorney's Office, through a recent social media post, announced that the two individuals, Miguel Bracamontes Ruiz, now 23, and Michael Tyrone Darrell McNack, 21, have pleaded no contest to felonies related to the shooting. Ruiz, in particular, was sentenced to a prison term of nine years and four months, which, after considering the time already served, effectively reduces his sentence to just under eight years. McNack, on the other hand, will serve a full eight years, as per the San Mateo County DA.
May '22, multiple suspects engaged in a daylight shootout in East Palo Alto, more than 30 shots fired with kids present at a nearby playground. Miguel Bracamontesruiz (22) & Michael McNack (21) pled no contest to their roles, sentenced to 9 years, 4 months, & 8 years prison. pic.twitter.com/icDjgUr1xK
— San Mateo County District Attorney (@SanMateoCoDA) November 5, 2024
In a turn of events, the critical evidence that enabled authorities to proceed with the case came from an unlikely source. "The only way the case got made was that an 8-year-old girl recorded it with her mother’s cell phone," Steve Wagstaffe, the District Attorney, explained, per The Daily Post. The young girl was amongst at least 60 individuals present when the shooting erupted at the park, which typically serves as a venue for youth sports, birthday celebrations, and casual after-school gatherings.
As for the other suspects implicated in the case, Bobby Williams Jr. is expected to appear before the court on January 24, whereas Luis Javier Mariscal is awaiting a court date in the Santa Clara County jail.
