Four boys arrested in Aptos hammer attack

Four teenagers have been arrested in connection to a brutal robbery that occurred Memorial Day in Aptos in which three teenage boys were attacked by masked assailants with hammers, authorities said.

On May 28 at 1:41 a.m., four boys, all from Watsonville, allegedly broke into a garage of a house in the 100 block of Monte Vista Drive in Aptos and beat three teenage boys with hammers, according to a statement from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff ’s Office.

The 16- and 17-yearold victims all suffered major head injuries. The oldest victim had to go to a trauma center for care. He is now out of the hospital, but the boy’s recovery is continuing.

“It’s going to be a long road for him given the extent of his injuries,” said Sgt. Brian Cleveland, a Sheriff ’s Department spokesman.

One of the suspects knew at least one of the victims, authorities said, and the attack was sparked by one of the victims posting a video on social media with “drugs and cash.”

“That was the motive for the attack,” Cleveland said. “The suspects saw the video and later that night went to the house and conducted the attack.”

The suspects made off with some marijuana and cash, he added.

A 15-year-old and three 16-year-olds had been arrested over the past two months, according to a Sheriff ’s Department statement.

The 15-year-old is being held on charges of attempted murder, robbery, burglary and conspiracy. One of the 16year-olds is being held on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon, as well as burglary and robbery. The two other 16-year-olds are being held on charges of burglary, robbery and conspiracy, according to the statement.

The suspects’ names are being withheld because they are minors.

Deputies arrested the 15-year-old June 1, and the three other suspects were arrested July 10, July 12 and July 16.

All four suspects are being held without bail at the Santa Cruz County Juvenile Hall. A juvenile court judge will decide whether they will remain in custody.

“We hope they stay in custody just due to the fact of how violent this crime was,” Cleveland said.