3rd Suspect Arrested In 2019 Murder Of 2 Boys In Union City School Parking Lot
UNION CITY (CBS SF/AP) -- A third suspect has been arrested in the murder of two boys in a Union City elementary school parking lot last year, according to a published report.
Carlos Gilberto Zepeda, 20, was arrested last week on charges that he participated in the killings of 11-year-old Kevin Hernandez and 14-year-old Sean Withington, Bay Area News Group reported Thursday.
Zepeda faces two murder counts as well as related gang charges and gun enhancements, the newspaper said. It wasn't immediately known if he has an attorney.
Alameda County authorities previously arrested Jason Cornejo, 18, and a then-17-year-old boy from Hayward who remains in juvenile court on the same charges.
Investigators have linked the shooting to a longstanding dispute between two street gangs in the Union City area, where the killings occurred.
On November 23 at 1:26 a.m., police received multiple 911 calls from citizens reporting gunshots heard in the area of Sherman and Colgate Drive in Union City.
Officers responded and found both boys inside a minivan with multiple gunshot wounds in the parking lot of Searles Elementary School.
Withington was pronounced dead at the scene while Hernandez died while en route to a local trauma center.
Police said the minivan the young victims were in was "riddled with bullets." At the scene, police eventually recovered 36 rifle bullet casings and six 9mm handgun bullet casings, the newspaper said.
"Sean and his friend Kevin were sitting in his mom's van in the parking lot," said Union City Police Chief Jared Rinetti in February. "At that time, suspects entered the parking lot, pulled near Sean and Kevin and then opened fire. Gunning down both Sean and Kevin."
© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
