A semi-automatic hand gun was pulled out of a 19-year-old gang member’s waist band as detective Armando Garcia rounded a dumpster enclosure – with the Manteca Police officer’s gun already out of its holster – in the 200 block of Northwoods Avenue Wednesday afternoon.
Garcia instinctively yelled “gun” – which was immediately dropped – as his partner Ranch Johnson was focusing on five other teens standing on the other side of the dumpster out of sight of the gunman. Not knowing if the others were armed, they ordered them all face down on the ground, and called for emergency code-3 backup from other officers on the street.
They held them at gunpoint until other police units arrived on the scene, and calling for emergency radio priority silence – a customary practice when a gun is involved.
The gang unit officers had spotted the group standing in the driveway of a two-story apartment complex about 3 p.m. and pulled into the driveway in their unmarked unit to talk with them as they reportedly suspected gang activity.
All the men were handcuffed, and detained until police could sort out the situation. Mauro Maranda, 19, of San Jose was arrested on an outstanding juvenile no-bail warrant out of the Bay Area, and for participation in a criminal street gang, and the possession of a loaded firearm by a gang member.
Maranda’s Bryco .380 semi-automatic hand gun was taken into evidence, and he was transferred to San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp.The bail amount would have been in excess of $250,000, police said, however, the no-bail warrant made that a moot point.
The other men were detained for about half an hour. Police questioned all of them and photographed them for future identification before they were released.
Garcia instinctively yelled “gun” – which was immediately dropped – as his partner Ranch Johnson was focusing on five other teens standing on the other side of the dumpster out of sight of the gunman. Not knowing if the others were armed, they ordered them all face down on the ground, and called for emergency code-3 backup from other officers on the street.
They held them at gunpoint until other police units arrived on the scene, and calling for emergency radio priority silence – a customary practice when a gun is involved.
The gang unit officers had spotted the group standing in the driveway of a two-story apartment complex about 3 p.m. and pulled into the driveway in their unmarked unit to talk with them as they reportedly suspected gang activity.
All the men were handcuffed, and detained until police could sort out the situation. Mauro Maranda, 19, of San Jose was arrested on an outstanding juvenile no-bail warrant out of the Bay Area, and for participation in a criminal street gang, and the possession of a loaded firearm by a gang member.
Maranda’s Bryco .380 semi-automatic hand gun was taken into evidence, and he was transferred to San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp.The bail amount would have been in excess of $250,000, police said, however, the no-bail warrant made that a moot point.
The other men were detained for about half an hour. Police questioned all of them and photographed them for future identification before they were released.
