Colin Atagi
The Press Democrat, Santa Rosa, Calif.
A Santa Rosa shooting victim was expected to survive after driving himself to a fire station not far from where he was shot Tuesday night, police said.
The victim, only described as a Santa Rosa man in his 30s, is in serious, but stable, condition at a local hospital, Santa Rosa police Sgt. Chris Mahurin said Wednesday.
He’s being treated for a gunshot wound, but Mahurin said police are not specifying exactly where he was shot.
Investigators say the victim was involved in a car-to-car shooting that was reported about 8 p.m. Tuesday near Burbank and Sunset avenues.
The victim drove himself to a Santa Rosa fire station at 830 Burbank Ave., which is about a 10th of a mile north of the shooting scene.
Firefighters treated him inside the fire station before police arrived and paramedics later transported him to a local hospital.
Several rounds were fired at the victim and Mahurin said investigators are trying to identify the shooter, their vehicle and motive, including whether the shooting involved gang activity.
Police want any witnesses to come forward. A reward of up to $2,500 is being offered by the Sonoma County Alliance Community Engagement and Safety Rewards Fund for information.
Tuesday’s incident happened three days after another car-to-car shooting injured a man at Comstock Park Saturday night.
The victim also was treated after driving himself to a fire station, this one on Stony Point Road. He was shot in his upper torso.
Although the shootings involved similar circumstances, Mahurin said they are “definitely not related” and the victims don’t know each other.
Two suspects in Saturday’s shooting were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and other gang-related activity and remain in custody, Mahurin said. They were identified as Santa Rosa residents Jose Bejar-Montejano, 25, and Eddie Almanzo Gijon, 26.
Police say neither has any connection to the victim and the motive behind Saturday’s shooting also remains under investigation.
“At this point it is unclear why the victim was targeted,” Mahurin said.
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(c)2021 The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.)