16-Year-Old Male, 1 Adult Fatally Shot Poolside at Apartment Complex

Newhall, Santa Clarita, CA: An adult male and a 16-year-old juvenile male were found shot to death inside a gated pool area at an apartment complex Saturday morning in the Newhall community within Santa Clarita.

The shooting occurred around 10:50 a.m., Mar. 18, at the Village Apartment Homes community pool on Silverado and Via Canon.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies from the Santa Clarita Station responded to a 911 call of gunshot victims on the 23000 block of Silverado Street. Upon arrival, deputies discovered two gunshot victims near the pool area of the complex. Both victims were down with gunshot wounds to the upper torso, according to Lt. Hugo Reynaga with Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau investigation at the scene.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department and paramedics responded and found both individuals deceased.

Reynaga said there is one adult victim, and one 16-year-old juvenile – both male Hispanics.

According to the preliminary investigation, it appears the shooting may be gang related, according to Reynaga.

The two individuals were sitting by the pool. Witnesses said there were some other juveniles sitting in the jacuzzi across from the pool when the shooting took place, reported Reynaga. Witnesses said they saw a male adult reach over the fence that surrounds the pool and started shooting, then ran in a northerly direction toward the parking lot.

A description of the vehicle was given to the responding deputies. A short time later, a vehicle matching that description was detained, and the two individuals in that vehicle are deemed persons of interest. There are no charges currently, and the individuals are yet to be questioned, said Reynaga.

The victims were possibly associated with gangs or criminal activity, according to Reyaga. He also said the suspects are young adults.

The investigation is still ongoing.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple App Store or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.

Oscar Sol, Video Journalist / KNN