SAN FRANCISCO – A male suspect was arrested Sunday in connection with a fatal shooting that took place during a lakeside fight in Northern California that also left several people with stab wounds at a popular recreation spot.
Authorities said the suspect, whose name was not released, was one of two stabbing victims flown to a hospital after the Saturday afternoon confrontation in the parking lot of Lake Berryessa, a day-use area about 75 km away. miles north of San Francisco, known for activities such as boating, swimming, fishing and hiking.
The deceased person was identified as Andrés Fabián Sandoval García, 39, of Vallejo, California. The second person airlifted by helicopter was released from the hospital on Sunday, said spokesman Henry Wofford of the Napa County Sheriff’s Office. Others injured in the melee sought medical attention by car.
Wofford said an officer responding to a call found two groups involved in a large fight in different parts of the parking lot, and administered CPR to the shooting victim, but was unable to save him.
“There were people using broken bottles to stab others in this fight,” Wofford said. “When (the officer) got there, he said the scene was very chaotic. There was no way one officer could stop so many people from fighting.”
Investigation into a deadly melee
Wofford said many of the combatants left before law enforcement reinforcements arrived, and some of the witnesses interviewed provided different versions of what started the altercation, while others refused to speak. The first officer to arrive was focused on the shooting victim and had no idea how many combatants were involved, Wofford said.
Investigators are asking for more witnesses to come forward with information and especially videos that may shed light on what happened and who instigated it. Wofford said they are confident they have the alleged gunman, who is expected to be booked once he is released from the hospital.
Despite a history of drowning, rectangular Lake Berryessa draws more than half a million annual visitors to its shores, water and islands as the county’s largest lake, just east of some of the Valley’s world-renowned wineries. Napa.
Wofford described the reservoir as family-friendly and typically enjoyed by a wide range of visitors, although problems sometimes arise with boaters and drunk drivers parking where they are not allowed.
“We don’t see fights, we don’t see people being murdered and stabbed regularly,” he said. “This is extremely rare.”
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