A man on pre-trial release was apprehended on Wednesday after a failed transaction at a gas station convenience store in Pinole escalated into a series of criminal activities, including a double shooting, robbery, assault, and multiple attempted carjackings.

According to Pinole Police, dispatchers received a 911 call from a Chevron convenience store on the 2600 block of Pinole Valley Road at approximately 12:20 p.m. on Wednesday. The call abruptly ended following a heated argument heard by the dispatchers.

As officers rushed to the scene, additional 911 calls reported a robbery at the location, with two individuals shot. Callers provided a description of the suspect, who fled north towards a neighboring Jack in the Box restaurant.

Police officers arrived at Pinole Valley Road, under Interstate 80, and successfully apprehended the suspect. Meanwhile, at the Chevron convenience store, other responding officers discovered two victims with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. The victims were promptly transported to a local hospital and later released.

After conducting witness interviews and reviewing surveillance footage, investigators determined that the suspect initially attempted to make a purchase at the convenience store. However, the transaction was declined, leading to an argument with the clerk. The suspect then forcibly tried to open the cash register but failed. In frustration, the suspect tore the register off the counter and disconnected the business telephone cables before fleeing the store.

Once in the Chevron parking lot, the suspect attempted to carjack a vehicle but was unsuccessful as the driver managed to escape. Subsequently, the suspect approached a parked car near one of the pumps, smashing the passenger door window and stealing a purse from the front seat, as reported by the police.

When the owner of the purse confronted the suspect and engaged in a struggle to retrieve her belongings, the suspect resorted to violent measures. He struck the woman multiple times, causing her to fall to the ground. Two brave individuals who witnessed the incident intervened to help the woman, but the suspect brandished a firearm and fired multiple shots at them before fleeing through the neighboring Jack in the Box parking lot.

As the suspect fled, he discarded the gun in nearby bushes. However, with the assistance of a K-9 unit from the Concord Police Department, law enforcement managed to locate the weapon. The suspect continued his escape attempt by trying to carjack two more vehicles on Pinole Valley Road, but his efforts proved fruitless.

Upon apprehending the suspect beneath the freeway overpass, officers recovered the stolen purse and other items belonging to the robbery victim at the scene. The suspect was identified as 21-year-old Demetrius Chafford from Fairfield. Prior to this incident, Chafford was already on pre-trial release following his arrest on December 14 for evading an officer and weapons violations in Solano County.

Chafford was subsequently booked at the Martinez Detention Facility on multiple charges, including two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, attempted robbery, three counts of attempted carjacking, and carrying a concealed firearm.

The investigation is still ongoing, and detectives are actively interviewing witnesses. Individuals with any information related to the incident are urged to contact Detective Dean at 510-724-1111.