Charges have been filed in two Boulder County cases that involve young adults and juveniles. Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty expressed concern that the trend will continue without intervention.
Jafet Hernandez-Gonzalez (21) and his brother who is 17 years old allegedly shot and injured two people on Flagstaff Mountain on May 12.
On the night in question, a group of young adults crashed a Cadillac Escalade on Flagstaff Mountain. The car was not drivable and a second car — driven by Hernandez-Gonzalez — arrived to help.
A verbal disagreement broke out between the two drivers and Hernandez-Gonzalez drove away. He returned with a gun and his brother. The brothers drove by the scene twice and on their third pass Hernandez-Gonzalez allegedly fired multiple rounds at the group surrounding the Escalade.
Two people were shot and later recovered from their injuries.
The case was presented to a Grand Jury which issued an indictment alleging a criminal attempt to commit first degree murder - after deliberation and attempted first degree murder - extreme indifference.
A court date for Oct. 9 has been set for Hernandez-Gonzalez. His 17-year-old brother’s bond hearing is scheduled for Aug. 25. The 17-year-old is also scheduled for a reverse transfer hearing on Jan. 29 where a judge will determine whether or not he will be tried as an adult.
Another recent case happened in Longmont. Two juveniles were arrested for multiple counts of attempted murder after firing more than a dozen shots at a vehicle in a neighborhood on South Coffman Street on July 23.
No one was injured in the shooting but bullets hit the car and nearby houses, according to a news release from the DA’s Office. The alleged shooters remain in custody.
Police arrested Christian Mendoza (16) for the murder of a young man on March 24. Mendoza was part of a disagreement in the Hobby Lobby parking lot. The victim was shot and left the scene by car and crashed into a traffic light pole at the corner of Nelson Road and Hover Street. It is suspected that the crash was caused because the victim died while driving.
Mendoza remains in custody and is waiting a transfer hearing on Jan. 16 to see if he should be tried as an adult.
Martin Valles Rojo (20) pled guilty on Tuesday for firing multiple gunshots at a moving car which hit a passenger in the elbow. He is charged with assault 1 and attempted murder 2. He faces 16-25 years in a state prison.
“As this most recent indictment demonstrates, our office continues to work closely with law enforcement to ensure that violent offenders are brought to justice. Tragically, young people are getting their hands on guns all too easily and putting them to terrible use against others -- and with serious consequences for their own lives. Efforts to interrupt this disturbing violence must continue at every level. Until that happens, we will continue to see lives forever altered by gang and gun violence,” Dougherty said.
