Four teens arrested for Aptos hammer attack
UPDATE: 7/17/2018 11:19 a.m. Four teens are in custody for attacking three boys with hammers during a sleepover in May.
The victims, ages 16, and 17 all suffered severe head injuries. The oldest victim was taken to a trauma center and is not yet fully recovered.
Early in the investigation, detectives with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office identified and arrested a 15-year-old from Watsonville. Since then, detectives served several search warrants and gathered additional information about the suspects and identified the motive as an attempt to steal cannabis and money.
The three others arrested are 16-year-old boys from Watsonville.
“Sheriff Hart promised that everyone responsible for this brutal assault would be arrested, said Undersheriff Craig Wilson, “These suspects need to be held accountable for what they did.”
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6/1/2018 3:14 p.m. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office made an arrest in Monday’s Aptos hammer attack that left a teen in critical condition.
Detectives identified a 15-year-old as one of the attackers and arrested him around 10:30 a.m. in Watsonville. The teen has been booked into Juvenile Hall on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and robbery.
“Detectives are continuing their investigation to identify suspects involved in this brutal attack,” said Sgt. Brian Cleveland.
The victim who was taken to a trauma center is now in stable condition.
“The suspect that was arrested today, they had a connection to knowing somebody inside that garage,” Cleveland said, “We believe there were some items taken which is why the suspect was arrested for robbery as well as assault with a deadly weapon.”
The Sheriff’s Office says it’s likely attempted murder charges will be added, as they present more evidence.
Sheriff Jim Hart said, “This assault was beyond stupid and these suspects are fortunate nobody is dead as a result of this attack. Our deputies are going to find every one of the suspects, they should turn themselves in now.”
The Sheriff’s Office is still asking anyone with information related to this case to contact Sergeant Baldwin at (831) 454-7635.
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A teenage boy remains in critical condition after he and two others were attacked during a sleepover in Aptos.
According to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, several masked suspects entered a garage on Monte Vista Drive and assaulted three teenage boys (ages 16,16, 17) with a hammer while two of them were sleeping.
“About 1:40am several masked men entered a home on the 100 block of Monte Vista Drive and immediately assaulted several teenage boys with a hammer. The suspects then stole some items from the home and fled,” says Sergeant Brian Cleveland with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
The two 16-year-olds have been released from the hospital, but the 17-year-old suffered more serious injuries.
Sgt. Cleveland says they are checking surveillance video in the area, but they have little to work with, “could only describe the suspects as males between the ages of 18-20 that were wearing masks. We have surveillance video in the area, we have some cameras that show a vehicle in the area leaving, but it is very dimly lit and is difficult to capture that car leaving.”
The only information we have about the car is it was a sedan.
Family and friends said 17-year-old Alex sustained major head trauma, a severe skull fracture and was placed into a medically induced coma after having multiple seizures on his way to the hospital.
He has since woken up from the coma, but remains in serious condition.
A gofundme page has been started for Alex HERE.
“He is currently stable after a lengthy brain surgery called a craniectomy, but his long term recovery is unknown, please pray for him and his family and the other families affected by this tragedy,” said Alex’s GoFundme creator, Jessica S.
Two of the victims do attend Aptos High School. The Sheriff’s Office says there is a school resource officer as well as a detective at the school speaking with students and teachers.
They area also asking parents of students who go to High Schools in the area to speak with them to see if they might know anything.
Anyone with information regarding the attack is asked to call Crime Sergeant Dee Baldwin at 831-454-7635.
Once the suspects are caught they could face burglary and attempted murder charges.
17-year-old victim Alex T.
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A teenage boy remains in critical condition after he and two others were attacked during a sleepover in Aptos.
According to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, several masked suspects entered a garage in the 100 block of Monte Vista Drive and assaulted three teenage boys (ages 16,16, 17) with a hammer while two of them were sleeping.
The brutal attack took place around 1:41 a.m. Monday.
The suspects stole several items and left the area in an unknown car.
Investigators checked the area for surveillance video that may have captured the suspect’s vehicle.
“The suspects could only be described as men between the ages of 18-20. The motive for the targeted attack remains unclear and Sheriff’s Detectives are following up on potential leads,” said Sgt. Brian Cleveland.
Family and friends said 17-year-old Alex sustained major head trauma, a severe skull fracture and was placed into a medically induced coma after having multiple seizures on his way to the hospital.
A gofundme page has been started for Alex HERE.
“He is currently stable after a lengthy brain surgery called a craniectomy, but his long term recovery is unknown, please pray for him and his family and the other families affected by this tragedy,” said Alex’s GoFundme creator, Jessica S.
Anyone with information regarding the attack is asked to call Crime Sergeant Dee Baldwin at 831-454-7635.
KION’s Ashley Keehn will have the latest on News Channel 5,46 at 5 and 6 p.m.
