“Pismo Beach Shooting Suspects Arrested in Death of Fresno Man”

The Pismo Beach Police Department, along with multiple other agencies, has made arrests in the shooting of a Fresno man. The suspects include a 15-year-old juvenile from Hanford and 19-year-old Daniel Jacob Santillana. The incident occurred on February 18 when the suspects approached the victim and engaged in a verbal altercation before the juvenile suspect fired three shots. The investigation involved serving search warrants and reviewing surveillance footage. Arrest warrants were issued for the suspects on charges including homicide, assault with a firearm, and accessory to a felony. Victoria Meza reported

The Pismo Beach Police Department announced on Thursday that the individuals responsible for the shooting of a Fresno man in Pismo Beach have been apprehended with the assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies in the Central Valley. The victim, 41-year-old Gustavo Aquino, tragically succumbed to his injuries after being shot multiple times in a parking lot on February 18. The investigation, conducted by the Pismo Beach Police Department and the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office, identified one of the suspects as a 15-year-old male from Hanford, California.

According to authorities, the incident occurred when Mr. Aquino was approached by three Hispanic males, including 19-year-old Daniel Jacob Santillana and two juvenile males, who are known members or associates of a criminal street gang in Hanford. A verbal altercation ensued, during which the 15-year-old suspect retrieved a firearm from a parked vehicle and fired three shots at Mr. Aquino.

Following the shooting, the suspects, accompanied by two female juveniles, quickly fled the scene in the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was identified as 19-year-old Anthony Robert Hernandez from Delano, California. In order to gather evidence, investigators executed approximately 30 search warrants, including searches of individuals, residences, electronic devices, third-party service providers, and social media platforms. Additionally, they reviewed extensive footage from the City of Pismo Beach’s video surveillance camera system, which captured the entire incident.

The Pismo Beach Police Department Detectives and the San Luis Obispo County DA Office Investigators received support from various agencies, including the Kings County Major Crimes Unit, Hanford Police Department, Lemoore Police Department, Delano Police Department, and Kern County District Attorney’s Office Investigators. These agencies collaborated in executing search warrants, collecting evidence, and identifying the individuals involved in the crime.

The 15-year-old shooting suspect was found to be on active probation in Kings County, with a previously issued probation violation warrant for his arrest. He was apprehended on May 19 by the Hanford Police Department on unrelated charges and the probation violation warrant. Currently, he is in the custody of the Kings County Juvenile Center, awaiting legal proceedings.

Another male juvenile involved in the initial altercation was also discovered to be on active probation and reported as a runaway. A probation violation warrant was issued through Kings County Juvenile Probation, leading to his arrest on May 26 by the Corcoran Police Department, with assistance from the Kings County Sheriff’s Office, on unrelated charges and the probation violation warrant.

On July 24, the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office completed its review of the investigation. Arrest warrants were issued for the 15-year-old juvenile, charging him with homicide and active gang participation. Daniel Jacob Santillana, 19, was charged with assault with a firearm and commission of a felony in connection with a street gang. Anthony Robert Hernandez, 19, was charged with being an accessory to the commission of a felony. Hernandez was arrested on July 29 and booked into the Kern County Jail, while Santillana and the other male juvenile from Hanford are currently in the custody of the Kings County Sheriff’s Office Jail, awaiting transfer to the San Luis Obispo County Jail.

In conclusion, the collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies have resulted in the arrest of the individuals involved in the Pismo Beach shooting. The suspects, including a 15-year-old male, will face criminal charges for their alleged roles in the incident, which claimed the life of Gustavo Aquino..