Springdale arrests boy linked to drive-by shooting

SPRINGDALE -- Police say a 17-year-old boy arrested Thursday is connected to a drive-by shooting two weeks ago in Springdale.

Separately, Rogers police discovered the gun used in the drive-by shooting was stolen from a Rogers home in January, according to a March 20 probable cause affidavit in Benton County Circuit Court.

Derek Hudson, spokesman for Springdale police, said the boy was arrested at 10:25 p.m. Thursday at 115 Pursell St.

The arrest is the latest in a string of possible gang-related crimes in Northwest Arkansas.

Police haven't released the names of two boys, age 15 and 17, arrested March 14 in connection with the drive-by shooting at 105 Pierce Ave. because the boys are younger than 18, Hudson said previously.

Police had been looking for the boy arrested Thursday for two weeks but wouldn't say how he's involved in the drive-by shooting.

The shooting happened the same night Springdale police say Fabian Rodriguez, 18, was shot dead by Hector Saul Ramos, 17, outside Ramos' home at 32 Applegate Drive in Springdale. Pierce Avenue and Applegate Drive are only a few blocks apart, and police say the shootings may be connected to gang activity.

Ramos was charged as an adult with first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree battery and misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

The Benton County affidavit shows police believe the same gun used in the drive-by shooting was stolen by Luis Angel Perea. Perea traded the gun to a person in Springdale for a tattoo gun, court records show.

Rogers police arrested Perea, 17, on March 19 in connection to a burglary where jewelry and a .22 Ruger revolver were reported stolen Jan. 12 at 1110 S. C St., according to the affidavit.

Perea was also suspected in other residential burglaries and crimes, court records show. After investigating, Rogers police linked him to the missing weapon used in the shooting, according to the affidavit.

A person who said he burglarized homes with Perea told police he took Perea to Springdale where Perea traded the Ruger for a tattoo gun, according to the probable cause affidavit. An image of the gun, which the owner identified as hers, was also found in a message through a social media outlet, court records show.

On March 15, the day after the shooting, police found a Ruger on a Springdale sidewalk, court documents show. Police believe the gun is the same one used in the shooting and was stolen from Rogers, according to the affidavit.

Hudson confirmed Friday the gun used in the drive-by shooting was a .22 Ruger.

The gun was sent to Arkansas Crime Laboratory for ballistics testing, according to the affidavit.

Perea faces numerous other felonies and misdemeanors for suspected criminal activity, according to the affidavit.

He's charged with four counts of residential burglary; 14 counts of breaking or entering; four counts of theft of property; two counts of theft by receiving; and misdemeanor 12 counts of theft of property and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.

The boy arrested Thursday hasn't been arrested in connection with anything involving the shooting, Hudson said. Police found marijuana on the boy, according to the news release Friday. The boy was arrested in connection with possession of a controlled substance, failure to appear for a trial in Springdale and a warrant for felony aggravated assault, according to the news release.

No further information was available, and the case remains open, Hudson said.

NW News on 03/28/2015

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