Suspect arrested in shooting death of an 18-year-old in Prunedale sideshow
SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Update 1:05 p.m. March 14: Monterey County Sheriff's Office has arrested a suspect in connection with the shooting death of an 18-year-old at a Prunedale sideshow.
The suspect is an unidentified 17-year-old arrested on March 12 after being extradited to Monterey County from the Sacramento area.
18-year-old Adrian Puga was killed on November 9, 2024, while attending a sideshow in Prunedale.
When CHP and MCSO deputies arrived at the scene, they found Puga on the ground with gunshot wounds. Puga was sent to a local hospital before dying from his injuries.
Over 20 warrants were served in the Sacramento area after MCSO picked up a lead from tips and videos. This read to the identification of the suspect.
Sacramento Police Department's SWAT team assisted in the arrest of the suspect.
"For those that attend sideshows, these things lead to tragedy. This is not the first one in our community. We read about this in the paper. This needs to stop," MCSO Sheriff Tine Nieto said at the press conference.
Neito also called for stronger laws against sideshows including impounding cars.
"Nothing seems to work unless we take away cars and its cost people money. It's like people don't care about the lives that are taken during incidents like this," Nieto continued.
The suspect is currently being held in Monterey County Juvenile Hall.
Shooting at a sideshow in Monterey County leaves 18-year-old dead, Monterey County Sheriff's Office says
PRUNEDALE, Calif. (KION-TV) -- The Monterey County Sheriff's Office confirms one person is dead after a shooting at a sideshow event in Monterey County late Saturday night.
Investigators identified the victim as 18-year-old Adrian Puga of Salinas. They also say the suspect hasn't been caught.
According to their preliminary investigation, deputies say they responded to calls about the event and shooting in the area of Prunedale Road and Blackie Road.
When they arrived, deputies along with CHP officers found a single victim with gunshot wounds.
"We don't know if our suspect was someone on foot or in a vehicle," says Commander Andres Rosas at the Monterey County Sheriff's Office."
The agency says no suspect is in custody at this time. They also tell KION they're trying to learn more about how many cars were at the event at the time of the shooting, with some numbers ranging from 20 to 100 vehicles.
"We don't have suspect information we can supply to the public," said Commander Andy Rosas. "This is a tragic event. A young male lost his life during this event. Right now we're seeking help from the community."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective R. Geng at 831-253-6029 or Detective Sergeant N. Kennedy at 831-755-3773.
