SHOOTING OUTSIDE VALLEJO HIGH SCHOOL
15-year-old hit by stray bullet and is transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injury
Once again, gun violence hit a Vallejo school.
The Vallejo Police Department responded to a Tuesday afternoon shooting near Vallejo High School, apparently “between two moving vehicles.”
A 15-year-old walking nearby was struck with what appeared to be a stray round, although a police news release says that the police “do not believe she was the intended victim.” She suffered a serious but non-lifethreatening injury and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
“Our schools need to be a safe place for our children,” Vallejo Police Department Interim Chief Jason Ta said. “This senseless and brazen daytime shooting near the school is unacceptable. We will utilize all of our available resources to investigate this matter and assist the school in providing a safer environment. We ask for any witnesses to cooperate and provide information to help us solve this senseless crime.”
At the time of the shooting, about 3:30 p.m., Vallejo High School students had already been dismissed for the day. The school will have increased security, with the added presence of Vallejo Police Department personnel.
Detectives from the Major Crimes Section responded and took over the investigations. Anyone with information is asked to call the Detective Division at (707) 648-4524.
Vallejo City Unified School District Public Information Officer Celina Baguiao said there wasn't a discussion about possibly canceling school Wednesday, but that added security was felt on campus.
“The shooting did not occur on campus but nearby. We did, however, have a more significant security presence and mental health support staff if anyone needed extra support,” Baguiao said. “We did not have a specific meeting with students or parents this morning. However, we sent a message to our District families (Tuesday) night and are having one-on-one conversations with parents and children who have questions or concerns about (Tuesday's) events.”
The shooting comes after recent mass shootings in Half Moon Bay, Monterey Park and Oakland. It also comes soon after the 10th anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy that saw a shooter kill 20 students and six educators before killing himself and his mother.
This is the second shooting in front of Vallejo High on Nebraska Street since September. During that month, Vallejo High employee and assistant football coach Joe Pastrana was breaking up a fight on Nebraska Street when he was shot in the upper hip by a suspect in a black fourdoor Audi.
Pastrana has since been released from a hospital and is in stable condition at home with his family while he begins rehab. The shooter has not been caught by VPD.
The September shooting came less than two months after a shooting at nearby John Finney High, just a block away at 1300
“Our schools need to be a safe place for our children. This senseless and brazen daytime shooting near the school is unacceptable.”
— Vallejo Police Department Interim Chief Jason Ta
Amador St. That shooting, at 9:30 a.m. July 21, caused a lockdown with more than 400 summer school students and 12 teachers for nearly two hours.
Police have yet to find a suspect in that incident as well.
“Community violence isn't just a VCUSD issue. Unfortunately, we now live in a society where gun violence is common,” Baguiao said.
“This is a national, state, and local issue that our lawmakers and citizens must address together. Locally, the City of Vallejo has to take an honest look at what is happening daily in our city and find ways to reduce the violence. The citizens who live and work here deserve better, and so do our kids. We have to address the problem of gun violence.”