Salinas teen arrested in deadly Morgan Hill party shooting

Authorities have arrested a 17-year-old Salinas resident in connection with a deadly shooting that occurred during a pop-up birthday party in Morgan Hill on July 25. The arrest followed an extensive investigation involving the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.

The incident took place at a rural property near Hale and Miramonte avenues, where hundreds of people had gathered for a party promoted on social media. During the event, gunfire killed 18-year-old Desiderio Romero V of San Jose and injured six other individuals. The six injured victims were subsequently treated and released from local hospitals.

Investigators utilized tips, videos, and photos submitted by community members through an FBI digital tip line to identify the suspect. The FBI had previously offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. On August 27, tactical teams served a high-risk search warrant at a home in Salinas, taking the juvenile suspect into custody. The suspect is expected to appear at a detention hearing in San Jose.