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East Palo Alto Shooting Near KIPP Esperanza High School Leaves One Wounded; Three Arrested After Chase
A 51-year-old East Palo Alto resident was shot early Saturday near KIPP Esperanza High School. Police arrested a man and two teens after a vehicle chase that ended on Pulgas Avenue.
A 51-year-old East Palo Alto resident was wounded by gunfire early Saturday morning near KIPP Esperanza High School, and police have arrested three people in connection with the shooting after a brief vehicle pursuit, authorities said.
The East Palo Alto Police Department reported that a ShotSpotter acoustic gunshot detection system alerted officers to weapons fire shortly before 6 a.m. in the 900 block of Garden Street, near the high school. When officers arrived, they found that two parked vehicles and an occupied residence had been struck by bullets. The 51-year-old victim suffered a gunshot wound that police described as non-life-threatening.
As officers responded to the ShotSpotter alert, they observed several vehicles leaving the area. One of those vehicles reversed at high speed, colliding with a parked car, and then struck a police cruiser as it fled, according to a department statement posted on social media.
Officers pursued the vehicle to the 2100 block of Pulgas Avenue, where it crashed into multiple parked vehicles and became disabled. The occupants abandoned the vehicle and ran, leaving behind a firearm, police said.
Two teens from Hollister, ages 15 and 17, were taken into custody, along with 22-year-old Hayden Hernandez of Los Banos, according to police. The two juveniles were released to their guardians after San Mateo County Juvenile Hall declined to accept them for booking. Hernandez was booked into the San Mateo County Jail on multiple felony charges.
The shooting remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Ng at 650-853-3160 or png@cityofepa.org.
The incident underscores ongoing concerns about gun violence in residential neighborhoods near schools. East Palo Alto, a city of about 30,000 residents in San Mateo County, has long grappled with public safety challenges, and community leaders have called for continued investment in violence prevention and youth services.