SANTA CRUZ—A man was shot Wednesday afternoon on a section of heavily traveled Soquel Drive near Winkle Avenue around 4:15pm.
The victim was taken to Dominican Hospital, just up the street, and then flown by air ambulance to an out-of-county trauma center, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Lt. Greg Lansdowne said. The Sheriff’s Office said that the victim is expected to survive.
Witnesses said they saw a black BMW 300 series speeding from the area after hearing three to four shots ring out directly in front of the sprawling Emerald Bay apartment complex.
A witness who works nearby, who gave the name Arron, said he heard about four shots.
“I rushed to the victim in the middle of the street,” he said. “I had to cut his pants and belt off. He looked like he had been shot several times, once in the lower abdomen.”
Two witnesses said the victim appeared to be a young Hispanic male.
Police closed all lanes of north and southbound traffic to preserve the crime scene for several hours. The Sheriff’s Office, who flooded the scene with more than a dozen deputies and investigators, also called in help from the California Highway Patrol. A “Be On The Lookout” bulletin was sent to all surrounding law agencies. Police also activated Project Rope, a multi-law agency effort of stationing officers at key roadway points around the county in hopes of snaring a suspect or suspects.
No arrests have been made.
