Two teens charged in a pair of Chula Vista shootings in March that killed one person and injured two others will now be charged federally, with state prosecutors opting to transfer the case to federal authorities in order to address what they say is a rise in violent crimes committed by juveniles.
The minor defendants were arrested March 27 in the two shootings that occurred hours apart. The second shooting, which occurred at the Salerno Luxury Rentals apartment complex, left one person dead and another victim wounded with a gunshot to the face.
The juveniles were identified as 15-year-old boys by police, who said at the time that it was “not a random attack.”
The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office said crimes committed locally by juveniles have been spiking, with one possible reason being an expectation that their age will protect them from serious consequences.
“It is imperative that minors committing murders and other serious and violent crimes understand they will not escape accountability,” San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a statement. “There’s a growing public safety concern that adult criminals are enticing minors to commit violent crimes with assurances that they will escape accountability due to California’s state juvenile laws.”
Stephen said the Chula Vista case’s referral to federal prosecutors “aims to stop the recruitment of minors to execute violent crimes.”
The District Attorney’s office said the number of law enforcement referrals it has received for juvenile prosecutions has steadily increased year- by-year, as has the rate of juvenile cases it has filed with courts.
The office’s referrals from law enforcement increased by 13% from 2022 to 2023 and are on track to increase another 13% this year. The number of juvenile cases state prosecutors have filed with the courts went up 19% from 2022 to 2023 and are on track for an 11% increase this year.
“The increase of criminally sophisticated youths perpetrating violent crimes that include the use of firearms and result in great bodily injury and death is highly concerning to law enforcement,” said the DA’s office in a statement.
“It is important that those who engage in violent crime in San Diego County understand that these crimes will be taken seriously, even when committed by minors.”
