Four Teens Arrested In San Ramon Flare Gun Attacks
SAN RAMON (CBS SF) -- Police on Monday announced they have arrested four East Bay teens in connection with the flare gun attacks on seven homes in San Ramon early Sunday morning.
Authorities said that the four teens -- who range in age from 15 to 16 years old -- were taken into custody over the past 24 hours and have all been booked into Juvenille Hall in Martinez.
Three of the suspects were San Ramon residents, while one suspect lives in Danville. Three of the teens were taken into custody by Sunday evening, but the fourth wasn't arrested until early Monday.
The vehicle that was used during the flare-gun attacks -- a late 90's light-colored Nissan Sentra sedan -- has been founded and processed by authorities. 12 gauge flares were discovered inside the vehicle.
The flare guns were apparently stolen from a nearby Walmart, according to police.
The teens are facing charges including multiple felony counts of Shooting into an Inhabited Dwelling and Conspiracy.
Police said a total of seven homes were struck by flares during the teens' rampage early Sunday.
In addition to the seven homes that were hit, several parked cars were also targeted.
"Would it do serious damage? Absolutely. [It] burns at high intensity heat," said San Ramon Police Sgt. Nathan Jones.
San Ramon resident Mike King said the incident happened just after 12:30 a.m. early Sunday morning at his home off Estero Drive.
"I heard a pop outside and then a real bright light in my window here," said King.
One of the flares hit the window only a few feet from where King was sitting.
"It's a dual pane window, so it broke through one pane of glass," explained King. "There's kind of a streak here where the flare fell down and burned a hole kind of in the glass here."
At least half a dozen homes on the south side of town were targeted, with some sustaining damage that ranged from with broken glass to burn marks on exterior walls.
Houses on Yosemite Avenue, Aptos Drive and Cree Court were hit in addition to King's home on Estero Drive.
No one was hurt and there was no major fire damage in the incident.
The San Ramon Police Department offered their thanks to the members of the community who assisted in the investigation by registering their home security cameras in the "Citizen's View Camera Registry Program."
The quick arrests of the four suspects were a result of a collaborative effort between the citizens of San Ramon and the dedicated Detectives and Patrol Officers of the San Ramon Police Department.
Anyone with any additional information related to the case is asked to contact the San Ramon Police Department at (925) 973-2779.
