MANTECA, CA — Manteca police are investigating a Tuesday afternoon shooting that left one man critically injured and sent investigators searching quickly across two cities. Officers were called to the 200 block of North Union Road at 12:43 p.m. after reports of a car crash.
When they arrived, police said they found no sign of a collision. Instead, officers discovered a male victim on the ground and a gun lying in the street. The man was taken to a hospital with critical injuries as investigators began piecing together what happened before he was found outside the vehicle.
Police say the victim was shot inside a car before getting out
Manteca police said the shooting began during an altercation between two men inside a vehicle. According to investigators, the victim was shot while still in the car and then got out before the other man fled the scene.
The encounter appears to have unfolded quickly, with the initial call to police coming in as a reported crash rather than a shooting. Officers have not said what led to the argument or how long the two men had been together before the gunfire. The condition of the victim remained serious after he was hospitalized, and police have not released his name.
Witness accounts and cameras helped officers identify the suspect
Investigators credited several tools for helping them move fast after the shooting. Police said witness statements were combined with footage from Manteca Flock cameras and information from Stockton Police Department automated license plate readers.
Those leads helped officers identify and track the suspect’s vehicle. The use of camera networks and license plate technology allowed police to follow the path of the car beyond Manteca, giving them a clearer picture of where the suspect went after leaving the scene.
Suspect arrested in Stockton about 45 minutes after the shooting
Police said the suspect was arrested in Stockton about 45 minutes after the shooting. Manteca officers said the arrest happened after the vehicle was located with help from the camera and reader systems.
Authorities have not released the suspect’s name or said what charges he may face. Police also have not said whether the gun found in the street was the weapon used in the shooting, though investigators recovered it near the scene as they processed the area.
North Union Road scene turned from crash call to shooting investigation
The 200 block of North Union Road became the center of the investigation shortly after midday, when the first call suggested a traffic crash. Instead, officers found evidence of violence and a person in need of immediate medical care.
The difference between the original call and what officers found on arrival underscored how quickly the incident developed. Police continued to work the scene and follow the movement of the suspect vehicle as the investigation shifted from the roadway in Manteca to the arrest in Stockton.
What investigators have said so far as the case remains open
Manteca police described the case as an active investigation and said they were still working to determine the full sequence of events. So far, investigators have confirmed the shooting happened inside a car, the victim was critically injured, and the suspect was later detained in Stockton.
Police have not publicly identified the men involved or said whether anyone else was in the vehicle. They also have not said how many shots were fired or whether there was any prior connection between the two men. KCRA 3 said the case was developing as more details were being gathered.
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