Suspected busted in King City for Attempted Homicide

On Saturday night, April 25 at 5:40 pm the King City Police Department responded to a report of “shots fired” at the Valero Gas Station located at 601 Broadway Street, King City.  Upon arrival it was determined the involved parties in the incident had fled the area but evidence of a shooting had occurred and was located at the scene. Shortly thereafter the King City Police Department was advised by Mee Memorial Hospital that a male subject was being treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. The gunshot victim was subsequently transferred to Natividad Hospital in Salinas for treatment.
Throughout the evening the Major Crimes Unit (MCU), a collaborative investigative unit of the King City and Greenfield Police Departments, conducted their investigation to identify the individuals’ suspected of being involved in the shooting incident.  Preliminary information developed by the MCU indicated that a physical altercation took place among 4 male subjects in a Valero gas station parking lot. During the physical altercation, a 5th male subject attempted to come to the aid of the physical altercation victims when this subject sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. The suspected shooter and accomplice fled the area in a grey colored newer model Honda Accord. With assistance from the city-wide video surveillance network, the suspect vehicle’s movements were tracked and it was subsequently located at an address in King City. During the course of the investigation 21-year-old male Hector Duarte of King City and 21-year-old male Jorge Cortes of King City were identified as suspects in the Attempted Homicide.
While surveilling the residence where the suspected vehicle was located several people were seen leaving in a different vehicle. A high-risk enforcement stop was conducted on the vehicle in King City. The occupants of the vehicle were detained for further investigation after which Cortes was arrested for his involvement in the shooting incident. Due to the nature of the incident the King City Police Department requested assistance from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office SWAT to execute search warrants at residences located on the 300 block of South Vanderhurst Avenue and the 700 block of South First St. in King City.
The King City Police Department would like to thank the Greenfield Police Department and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance with this investigation.  Anyone with further information regarding this case is encouraged to call the King City Police Department at (831) 386-5980; Detective Sergeant John Dow at (831) 386-5969 or the WeTip line at 1-800-78-CRIME.  Your call may remain completely anonymous. The investigation is continuing, and no other information is being released at this time.