Teens arrested in brutal assault in San Rafael's Canal neighborhood

Three teenage boys were arrested in San Rafael following a brutal assault on a victim using brass knuckles after an automated license plate reader identified their vehicle, police said.

The attack happened on June 18 in the area of Playa Del Rey in the city's Canal neighborhood. San Rafael police said the victim was taken to the hospital following the assault. The extent of the injuries was unknown.

Officers were able to obtain the suspects' description and a description of their vehicle, and the license plate was captured by the city's automated license plate reader camera network, police said.

On Tuesday, an officer spotted the vehicle driving on Belvedere Street and alerted other officers while monitoring the car's movements. The vehicle stopped in the parking lot of an apartment complex on the 100 block of Belvedere Street and officers made contact, detaining three teenage boys, police said.

Officers found a loaded handgun, a pair of brass knuckles, and a folding knife during a search of the vehicle, police said. In addition, officers were able to connect the suspects to the June 18 assault after locating a video phone recording of the incident, police said.

All three suspects were arrested and booked into Marin County Juvenile Hall. They were charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon, felony assault that caused great bodily injury, felony possession of a loaded firearm, felony carrying a concealed firearm, felony juvenile in possession of a handgun, felony possession of brass knuckles, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Police asked anyone with information about the incident to call San Rafael Police at (415) 485-3000. Tips can also be made online at https://www.srpd.org/tips.