Five Alleged Gang Members Arrested in Santa Maria

Source: Santa Maria Police Department

Today at about 1530 hours, SMPD officer responded to Preisker Park to a report of gang members gathering, throwing gang signs, and showing a gun. Officers arrived and the suspects fled on foot. Officers closed in on one of them and observed him throw a handgun over a fence before scaling the fence himself.

Officers scaled the fence and continued the chase until they caught him and took him into custody. They identified him as 19 year old Carlos Palma-Velazquez. The loaded handgun was located nearby.

Four of the other suspects were adults and one was a juvenile. All five of those suspects were arrested and booked for probation violations. All five were either documented gang members or associating with gang members.

Palma-Velazquez was booked into jail for resisting arrest, possessing a firearm, and gang-association crimes.