MERCED, CA – On August 24, 2021, at approximately 12:55 pm, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Santa Fe Drive and Walnut Avenue in Winton for a possible shooting. While en-route to the scene, deputies locked down Crookham Elementary School for safety reasons. Deputies then arrived at the corner of Santa Fe Drive and Walnut Avenue at the Taco Truck and found two male subjects had been shot. Deputies attempted life-saving measures and were able to medi-flight one of the subjects to a Modesto hospital. However, the other male subject was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Merced County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Bureau arrived on scene with several deputies and were to secure the scene along with the school. School officials were contacted, and the school was allowed to release the children to their parents without incident. The detectives then concentrated their efforts on investigating the crime scene.
So far in the investigation, we have discovered that two unknown male Hispanic suspects wearing all black clothing, walked up to the taco truck area and began shooting. During that time, two subjects possibly eating lunch at the taco truck were hit by gunfire leaving one subject deceased and the other in critical condition.
The Merced County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Bureau is still in the beginning stages of this investigation and looking for information from the public. If you have any information in regards to this crime, please contact the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Bureau at 209-385-7472. Your information could remain anonymous and could help solve this crime.