Two peop have been charged after last month’s “cartel-style execution” of a family of six in California, including a young mother and her 10-month-old baby, authorities announced Friday.
Angel Uriarte, 35, and Noah Beard, 25, were arrested and charged each with six counts of murder in connection with the Jan. 16 shooting, Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward said at a Friday news conference.
Both are known members of the Norteño gang, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said during the news conference. He said the shooting was likely the result of a conflict between the Norteños and the Sureños, a rival gang.
The suspects have “a long history of gun violence,” and are “heavily active in guns, gang violence, gun violence, and narcotics dealings,” Boudreaux said.
“This was clearly not a random act of violence,” he said. “This family was targeted by cold-blooded killers.”
Still, Boudreaux said “the motive is not exactly clear at this point.”
CALIFORNIA SHOOTING:Shooter stood over teen mother, baby and shot them ‘assassination-style’
‘Operation Nightmare’ leads to arrests
The arrests were the results of a multiagency effort called “Operation Nightmare,” according to the sheriff’s department. The effort included searching several California prisons and 10 days of surveillance of the suspects. Ultimately, forensics evidence helped authorities connect the suspects to the shooting.
Friday morning, more than 100 law enforcement officials from local and federal agencies executed search warrants at three locations to arrest the suspects.
Beard was taken into custody “without incident,” Boudreaux said. But Uriarte ran from law enforcement and fired several shots at ATF agents, who fired back, the department said. Uriarte was struck in the torso during the shootout and taken to the hospital, where he underwent surgery and is in stable condition.
Mother, baby shot ‘assassination-style’
Tulare County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to a home in Goshen, a community of about 3,000 people located about 30 miles southeast of Fresno, just before 4 a.m. Jan. 16, according to the office.
Deputies found six people dead at the scene: 52-year-old Eladio Parraz, 19-year-old Marcos Parraz, 49-year-old Jennifer Analla, 72-year-old Rosa Parraz, 16-year-old Alissa Parraz, and her 10-month-old baby, Nycholas. All victims died from gunshot wounds, Boudreaux said.
Alissa Parraz tried to flee the attack with her baby, Boudreaux said. In surveillance video showed at the Friday news conference, a young woman can be seen lifting an infant over a fence and climbing over it.
Boudreaux said a shooter caught up with her, stood over her and fired multiple rounds into her skull, calling the shooting “assassination-style.” Both the mother and infant were found dead on the street outside the home.
A gunman also shot Parraz, a 72-year-old grandmother, while she slept in the home, authorities said.
Contact Christine Fernando at cfernando@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter at @christinetfern.
USA TODAY
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