Three teens, including a reported missing person, were cited for
probation violations and turned over to their parents after police
found them in the same area where a gang-related fight broke
out.
Three teens, including a reported missing person, were cited for probation violations and turned over to their parents after police found them in the same area where a gang-related fight broke out.
Police caught up with a total of eight teenagers when they responded to the fight near the intersection of Church Street and San Pedro Avenue about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Morgan Hill Police Sgt. Shane Palsgrove.
Only one of those contacted was an adult, but he was only passing by on a bicycle when police responded to the scene. He was wearing red clothing, which is often associated with a northern street gang, and police let him go with a warning.
Four of the juvenile males were released to their parents without a citation, though police think at least three of them were involved in the reported fight and are associated with the northern gang.
Of the three who were cited, two were a brother and sister on probation and house arrest. The other one was the reported missing person who was also on house arrest, according to Palsgrove.
Police do not think the three suspects were involved in the fight and might have been “in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Palsgrove said.
There was not enough evidence to tie any of the other juveniles to the fight. Three of them admitted to being in an altercation, but were “uncooperative” with details, Palsgrove said. He said a group of males, believed to be southern gang members, drove by the three northerners who were walking on Church Street and challenged them to a fight. The northern street gang members accepted the challenge, and a number of witnesses driving by reported the fight to police.
By the time officers arrived, the vehicle carrying the southern gang members had left the scene, and the northerners attempted to flee on foot.
Some of the northern suspects were caught up with at Taco Bell on Monterey Road, Palsgrove said.
No one interviewed by police was injured, and no weapons were recovered.
