Teen Arrested After Fatal Shooting at Councilmember’s Home

Teen Arrested After Fatal Shooting at Councilmember’s Home
Stock photo of a police tape. (Kat Wilcox/Pexels)
The Associated Press
11/1/2021
Updated:
11/1/2021

GILROY, Calif.—A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with a fatal shooting at a city councilmember’s Northern California home, where one person died and three other people were injured, authorities said Sunday.

Benjamin David Calderon was taken into custody Saturday afternoon by a SWAT team after the late-night shooting in the city of Gilroy, officials said in a Facebook post. Police were called after violence broke out during a large outdoor party at the home of Gilroy City Councilmember Rebeca Armendariz, about 80 miles south of San Francisco.

At least one suspect fired a gun, authorities said. It was not immediately clear if Calderon had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

One male was pronounced dead of his gunshot wounds at the scene and three others were injured. Two of them were believed to have life-threatening wounds, but there was no update on their conditions Sunday afternoon. The victims’ ages range from 17 to 19 years, authorities said.

Armendariz told The San Francisco Chronicle in a statement on Saturday that she was unable to share details because of the active police investigation. She said in the statement that she and her family are cooperating with police.

“I am thankful that my family and I ... were not hurt in this tragedy, and I pray for those whose loved ones have been touched by what has occurred,” she said.

The victims’ names were not immediately made public, nor has a motive been disclosed.