UCSC student shot in back of head during robbery
A UC Santa Cruz student was shot in the back of the head at a bus stop near Natural Bridges State Beach while being mugged on Monday evening. Santa Cruz Police said the victim, a 21-year-old female, was waiting at the bus stop when the suspect approached her and demanded she give him the contents of her pockets. The suspect pointed a rifle at her and the victim reported being hit in the back of the head with it, at which point she ran away up Natural Bridges Drive and eventually flagged down a passing car.
Police said the woman was taken to Dominican Hospital, where doctors discovered that she had been shot in the head. The bullet was removed and she is expected to make a full recovery.
The suspect was described as a light-skinned male, 5-foot-7-inches tall with a gruff voice and a red bandana wrapped around his face, possibly driving a white PT Cruiser, according to the police report. Police combed the area with search dogs and thermal imaging equipment after the incident but were unable to find the suspect. Police said the search is ongoing and encourage anyone with information relating to the case to call their anonymous tip line, given below.
SCPD Anonymous Tip Line: 831-420-5995
Santa Cruz local shot and killed outside of the Red Room bar
Pauly Silva, a 32-year-old Santa Cruz local, was killed in a drive-by shooting near the Red Room bar in downtown Santa Cruz just after midnight on Saturday. Silva, a martial arts instructor and plumber, was standing outside the bar when several shots were fired at him from a passing car, striking and killing him, Santa Cruz Police said.
Police identified a possible suspect vehicle as a gray or green ‘90s model Mercedes. Two suspects driving a matching car were arrested in Watsonville later that night, and a third suspect was arrested Sunday morning. Police said additional details regarding the possible connection between the arrested suspects and the Silva’s murder will be released at a later date.
There were several witnesses present during Silva’s murder, but police said many of them have refused to cooperate with the investigation so far. Police have threatened to arrest those witnesses under suspicion of shielding the suspects if they do not cooperate. Police said they believe the murder may have been gang related.
Police said that a clear understanding of the incident has not yet been reached and that their investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information relating to the case is encouraged to call the SCPD’s anonymous tip line.
