Man said he was a victim; police believe he’s the killer
18-year-old pretended he escaped a drive-by shooting that killed his friend, officials say.
An Anaheim man who allegedly pretended he also was a victim of a drive-by shooting in which his 17year-old friend was fatally shot last weekend has now been arrested and charged in connection with the crime, police said.
Zachary Pickrell, 18, told Anaheim police he managed to avoid being shot during a drive-by shooting Sunday evening in the 1700 block of Holbrook Street but his friend Danilo Ashton Arauz was gunned down by the unknown assailant, police said.
Paramedics rushed the wounded Arauz to a nearby hospital, authorities said.
But Anaheim homicide detectives later determined that there had been no driveby shooting and that Pickrell had allegedly shot the teenager, police said.
Since the victim was on life support at the time, Pickrell was booked into the Anaheim Detention Facility on suspicion of attempted murder. He has since been transferred to Orange County Jail, where he is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
Pickrell was charged this week with attempted murder and an enhancement charge of attempted premeditated murder and personal use of a firearm in the commission of a crime.
Two law enforcement sources, not authorized to discuss the case, told The Times that Pickrell had an ongoing disagreement with the victim and had planned to shoot him.
Arauz was taken off life support while surrounded by friends and family shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday at Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana, police said. Pickrell’s initial charge of attempted murder will be amended to murder, authorities said.
“He always lived with passion and excitement, Ashton was the happiest kid,” the Arauz family wrote on a GoFundMe page set up to pay for funeral expenses. “He had some crazy curly hair, which matched his goofy personality. He is unlike anyone else, and will forever be missed and loved.”
Blake Goldstein, his brother, also shared a message on social media.
“Ashton, you are unlike anybody I’ve ever met. Kind, strong, smart, gentle, goofy, way cooler than me, full of joy and showed your love for us in a very special way,” he wrote. “Our hearts [are] shattered, but we will find comfort in our memories and knowing we have an angel watching over us.”