Three more arrested, charged, in Montclair Place killing

by Steven Felschundneff | steven@claremont-courier.com

The Montclair Police Department has arrested three more youths in connection with the February 2 shooting death of a 15-year-old boy in the Montclair Place mall parking lot.

Arrested February 14 were Isaac Banuelos, 20, Victor Avina, 20, and a 16-year-old boy. They were charged with a several crimes, including murder with a gang enhancement, and accessory after the fact of murder. Police also recovered multiple firearms but did not say if they suspected any were used in the mall shooting.

On February 2, a 15-year-old Chino resident later identified by his parents as Omar Espinoza Rivera was shot during a fight with a 17-year-old boy in the northeast parking lot of the mall. Police received a 8:10 p.m. 911 call reporting shots had been fired at the location. Arriving officers found Rivera suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest. The former Diamond Ranch High School student died later that evening at an area hospital.

The 17-year-old reportedly received stab wounds in the fight, and was treated at the same hospital and later released. After an investigation police arrested the 17-year-old February 4 and charged him with murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and a gang enhancement. The suspect is also on active Los Angeles County probation for a prior firearm possession case.

Police then continued the investigation, which culminated in the February 14 arrest of the three additional suspects.

NBC News 4 photographer Alex Vasquez arrived at Montclair Place shortly after police on February 2 and reported a witness told him it was “a running or rolling gun battle.”

The three latest arrests came after police served several search warrants in the City of Pomona with the assistance of the of a specialized enforcement unit of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s office.

Police say neither Rivera nor his friends are suspected of being members of a gang.

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