Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Sacramento Gang Member Sentenced to Over 130 Years for Drive-By Shooting

A 25-year-old man from Sacramento has been handed a sentence of more than 130 years in prison for his involvement in a deadly drive-by shooting that occurred in 2020. The shooting targeted four rival gang members, resulting in the tragic death of 27-year-old Alex Cardona and injuries to three others. Christopher Manuel Berger, the perpetrator, was recently sentenced to 133 years and four months to life in prison by Judge Laurel White of the Sacramento Superior Court.

The sentencing comes after Berger was found guilty by a jury on August 2nd of first-degree murder and three counts of discharging a firearm from a vehicle. The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office released a news statement confirming the verdict. Berger’s charges included enhancements for causing great bodily injury or death and firing a gun.

The drive-by shooting took place on August 24, 2020, around 1 a.m. in Sacramento’s South Hagginwood neighborhood on Helena Avenue. Responding officers discovered the victims at the scene, where Cardona was pronounced dead. The three surviving victims had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, both Berger and the victims were members of rival gangs. The incident unfolded as Cardona and three other men were standing outside a residence in the 1200 block of Helena Avenue, just south of Del Paso Boulevard.

Prosecutors revealed that Berger drove up to the home in his vehicle and proceeded to fire 11 shots from a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun at the group before fleeing the area. Tragically, Cardona was struck in the head, resulting in his untimely death. The other three victims sustained multiple gunshot wounds but survived the attack.

In an attempt to cover his tracks, Berger reported his vehicle stolen to law enforcement. However, three days after the drive-by shooting, authorities located the vehicle with another individual behind the wheel. This person informed investigators that they had received the car from a friend, who turned out to be Berger. The individual also admitted to discarding a shell casing from the vehicle into a nearby dumpster. Upon retrieving the shell casing, investigators were able to match it to the murder scene.

In a subsequent development, Berger was arrested by the Sacramento police in connection with the fatal shooting. During a vehicle stop eight months after the incident, authorities discovered an unregistered firearm that matched the shell casings found at the murder scene.

As of Monday evening, Berger remains in custody at the Sacramento County Main Jail awaiting transfer to a prison facility.

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