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A 19-year-old suspected gang member has been charged with attempted murder in the shooting that left a Lincoln High School cheerleader paralyzed. Juan Diaz Velazco also faces assault with a firearm and other charges, and could be sentenced to up to 72 years to life in prison if convicted. The shooting occurred outside a Talmadge house party and was allegedly done for the benefit of a street gang. Diaz Velazco had a prior conviction for assault with a deadly weapon and was barred from possessing a firearm.
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A 19-year-old suspected gang member has been charged with attempted murder in the shooting that left a Lincoln High School cheerleader — an innocent bystander — paralyzed, the District Attorney’s Office said Monday.
The defendant, Juan Diaz Velazco, also faces assault with a firearm and other charges for the shooting outside a Talmadge house party. He pleaded not guilty in San Diego Superior Court on Monday and faces up to 72 years to life in prison if convicted.
The criminal complaint indicates the defendant faces several allegations, including that the shooting was done for the benefit of a street gang.
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Diaz Velazco is also charged with weapon possession. The complaint alleges he had a 2021 conviction as a juvenile for assault with a deadly weapon — and that it was gang-related — and he was thus barred from having a firearm.
The shooting happened about 12:50 a.m. Oct. 28 on El Cajon Boulevard at Winona Avenue.
Gang members issued challenges to rivals outside of the party, according to the District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors allege Diaz Velazco fired the first shots.
The 17-year-old victim was shot in her back.
Jail records indicate Diaz Velazco was arrested Thursday. He remained jailed without bail Monday.
His arrest followed “a multiweek extensive investigation” conducted by gang units with San Diego police and the District Attorney’s Office.
“This case demonstrates the destructive consequences of gang violence on neighborhoods and people who want to live in peace,” District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a statement. “We will keep fighting to make our neighborhoods safe and hold criminals accountable.”
The victim is the niece of Shane Harris, head of People’s Association of Justice Advocates. A few days after the shooting, the girl’s family called for justice and peace.
The Talmadge shooting was one of at least four across the county that weekend. In El Cajon, a 16-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man were killed in a shooting that police there said they suspect was gang related.
That same weekend, a gunman chased a teenager into a Chula Vista restaurant and opened fire. The teenager was shot in the leg, as were two customers. An employee was grazed by a bullet.
And in San Diego’s Emerald Hills neighborhood, someone was shot in the thigh at a house party.
A 19-year-old suspected gang member has been charged with attempted murder in a shooting incident that left a Lincoln High School cheerleader paralyzed. Juan Diaz Velazco, the defendant, pleaded not guilty to the charges in San Diego Superior Court on Monday. If convicted, he could face up to 72 years to life in prison.
The shooting took place outside a Talmadge house party on October 28th. According to the District Attorney’s Office, gang members issued challenges to rivals outside the party, and Diaz Velazco allegedly fired the first shots. Sadly, a 17-year-old girl, an innocent bystander, was shot in the back and is now paralyzed.
Diaz Velazco also faces assault with a firearm and weapon possession charges. The criminal complaint states that he had a previous conviction in 2021 as a juvenile for assault with a deadly weapon, which was gang-related. This conviction prohibited him from possessing a firearm.
The arrest of Diaz Velazco followed a thorough investigation conducted by gang units with the San Diego police and the District Attorney’s Office. District Attorney Summer Stephan emphasized the destructive consequences of gang violence on neighborhoods and people’s desire to live in peace. She pledged to continue fighting to make neighborhoods safe and hold criminals accountable.
The victim in this case is the niece of Shane Harris, the head of the People’s Association of Justice Advocates. Following the shooting, the girl’s family called for justice and peace. Unfortunately, the Talmadge shooting was one of at least four similar incidents across the county that weekend, raising concerns about rising gang-related violence in the area.
This case serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of gang violence on communities and the urgent need for measures to prevent such incidents. It highlights the importance of law enforcement agencies working together to apprehend those responsible and bring them to justice, as well as the need for ongoing efforts to create safe and peaceful neighborhoods..
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Teri Figueroa said 19-year-old man charged in Talmadge shooting that paralyzed high school cheerleader
