Authorities arrested a 16-year-old suspect and announced they are searching for another person of interest in connection with a violent July 16 bank robbery and shootout with police in Stockton that left dead two suspects as well as a hostage who was used as a human shield.
Pablo Ruvalcaba, 21, was identified Monday as a person of interest who may have driven the vehicle that dropped three suspects off at a Stockton Bank of the West branch. Two of the suspects and a hostage were later killed after a violent shootout with police.
Stockton policeAt a news conference Monday, Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones and agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said they want to question Pablo Ruvalcaba, 21, who may have dropped the suspects off at the Bank of the West branch in a black Buick sedan.
Two days later, investigators recovered the vehicle a few miles from the bank, and they believe the 16-year-old ditched it, said Officer Joe Silva, a Stockton police spokesman. The unidentified teen was arrested Thursday and booked into juvenile hall on suspicion of acting as an accessory after the crimes. He also faces gang allegations.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Meanwhile, the ATF announced a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction of the person responsible for manufacturing an AK-47 assault rifle used in the attack.
"These types of firearms are commonly referred to as 80 percent firearms, ghost guns or home-built firearms," ATF officials said. "Because they are not manufactured by a Federal Firearms Licensee, they generally have no marking or serial numbers and there are no records for law enforcement to use in the investigation of crimes related to these firearms."
Authorities said the bank robbery was carried out by heavily armed gang members Jaime Ramos, 19, Gilbert Renteria Jr., 30, and Alex Martinez, 27. They allegedly raided the bank on Thornton Road, then took 41-year-old customer Misty Holt-Singh and two bank employees hostage after a security guard called police.
The robbers fled in one employee's Ford Explorer with police in pursuit along Interstate 5 and Highway 99 through Stockton, Lodi and Acampo in San Joaquin County, police said. The two bank employees jumped or were thrown from the vehicle, while Martinez allegedly fired an AK-47 at officers from the passenger's seat as Renteria drove.
Ramos sat in the back seat with Holt-Singh, using her as a shield, police said. After an hour, police stopped the Explorer by shooting out its tires in north Stockton. The gunmen again opened fire on police, officials said, hitting at least 14 vehicles as officers returned fire.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Holt-Singh was struck and killed by police gunfire, as were Renteria and Martinez. Ramos survived and was charged with three counts of murder and 32 other crimes.
Stockton police said Martinez probably robbed the same bank in January, but was not identified until after the July gunbattle.
Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky
