Arrest made in deadly shooting of 2 teens at Chula Vista Halloween party

Three days after two teenagers were fatally shot at a Halloween party, Chula Vista police on Monday arrested an 18-year-old man as the suspected gunman.

David Garcia was “taken into custody without incident” near his National City home just after 1:30 p.m. and booked into jail on suspicion of murder, police Sgt. Anthony Molina said. He said there are no additional suspects, but that the investigation is continuing.

“This arrest resulted from extensive investigative work by detectives, which included valuable information provided through San Diego County Crime Stoppers,” Molina said in a news release. Chula Vista police worked with the Regional Fugitive Task Force to make the arrest.

An arraignment is tentatively set for Wednesday in Chula Vista Superior Court, according to jail records.

The teens were identified as Kane Roldan, 15, a San Diego resident, and Elias Yanez, 17, who lived in Imperial Beach. Police said the two youths were in the backyard of a home on East Prospect Street near Judson Way just after 11:15 p.m. Friday when someone opened fire during an argument. Multiple people called police to report shots fired at the home, not far from Castle Park High School.

Officers arrived to find both boys suffering from gunshot wounds. The teens were taken to a hospital, where they died.

There is a verified GoFundMe to raise money for Kane’s memorial service.

Department spokesperson Molina confirmed that the two boys had been at the party when an argument occurred, but, citing the ongoing investigation, he declined to say whether either teen was connected to the confrontation.

Partygoers scattered as police and paramedics arrived. “Over 100 people were there, but we have only spoken to a handful,” Molina said.

“That is a very small fraction of who was there,” he said. “There is a lot of information that needs to make its way to us, a lot of statements that need to be given to us. We know there is a lot more information than we have been told.”

Molina also said investigators are aware of video from the party circulating on social media, and several are holding up their phones as if recording the incident.

The department is asking witnesses to come forward, and also asks that people who have video of the incident submit it to investigators, both from the incident and from exterior cameras in the area. “That is what is really going to corroborate statements,” he said.

Original videos can be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers, which is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest.

Witnesses, tipsters and people with video of or information about the incident can call Chula Vista police at 619-691-5075. Anonymous tips can be left by calling Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477. Tips can also be shared and video uploaded anonymously at sdcrimestoppers.org.