Police in California believe four unsolved fatal shootings over the last six months are part of the same gang-related spree — beginning with the murder of a middle school teacher in August.
Nancy Magaña, 25, was sitting in her parked pickup truck with her boyfriend and 5-year-old son Aug. 17 when two men walked up to the driver’s window and shot her, San Bernardino police said Wednesday.
Police released surveillance footage showing the suspects’ light-colored sedan driving near Magaña’s truck, which was stopped in the parking lot of a local park.
“No words were exchanged between Magaña and [the people in] that vehicle,” Sgt. Al Tello said at a press conference.
“She was just sitting there with her boyfriend.”
Middle school teacher Nancy Magaña, 24, was gunned down while sitting in a parked car with her boyfriend and 5-year-old son on Aug. 17, 2019.FacebookNearly a month later, on Sept. 14, a 21-year-old man driving a red Toyota Camry with his 2-year-old daughter was shot by men in a light-colored sedan, causing him to crash into a guardrail. He survived in critical condition. His daughter died.
Then on Jan. 19, Lemon Hamilton, 24, was found lying shot in the street. A short time later, another person who had apparently fled the scene showed up at a hospital.
Police believe that, in that case, there was a shootout with a group of unidentified men.
Two days later, police found Israel De La Torre, 24, dead on the ground beside his car. Daniel Melendrez, 33, was found dead a couple of blocks away, likely trying to flee the scene, cops said.
Surveillance footage showed a group of men in a car dropping off the killers and then serving as their getaway ride once the murder was committed.
The suspects’ car (white)San Bernardino Police DepartmentA common thread between the shootings was that they all happened west of the 215 Freeway, an area with a lot of gang activity, according to the Press-Enterprise.
Police said the attacks are believed to be gang-related. Some of the victims were randomly chosen while others may have been known to their attackers.



