Teen Charged in Valley Fair Mall Black Friday Shooting Faces Potential Adultโ Court Trial
SAN JOSE, CAโฃ – โข A teenager is facing attempted murder and โขassaultโ with a semi-automatic firearm charges inโข connection with a shooting that injured three peopel at westfield Valley Fair mall in San Jose on Black friday, โNovember โค24th. Santaโ Clara County prosecutors announced theโ charges todayโ and are seeking to try the suspect asโข an adult.
The shooting occurred shortly after 5:30 p.m. inside the Bay โAreaS largest mall, allegedly stemming from an argument withโข a perceived gang rival. According to prosecutors, the teenager fired six shots, striking a male victim inโฃ the โคchest. Two other individuals – a woman and a 16-year-old girl – sustained โinjuries from โstray gunfire. All three victims โฃwere treated at โlocal hospitals for non-life-threateningโ injuries.
The suspect, whose name is being withheld due to his age, was arrested two days after theโข incident at a Sanโฃ Jose residence. Investigators report the teenager and the male victim didโฃ not know each other prior to the shooting.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen condemned the โขact, stating,โค “Six bullets hit three people, shut down the city’s largest mall and sent fear through โour community.” He โฃadded,โ “We are โขfiling the most serious โขchargesโ and asking that they be heard in โฃadult court, whereโ the consequences reflect the โคrecklessness and danger of fighting a senselessโ gang war inside a mall crowded withโ holiday shoppers.”
A judgeโ will now โdetermine whether the case โwill be transferred to adult court. If tried โขand convicted as an adult,โค the teenager would face significantly โขharsher penalties than โฃthose available inโข the juvenile justice system.โ
The gunfireโ triggered widespread panic, โwith shoppers โขfleeing into nearby homes, garages, and stores.The District Attorney’s Victim Services’ Unit’s Mariposas Resiliency Center is offering free โฃcounseling and advocacy services โtoโฃ those traumatized by the โขshooting.
The teenager’s nextโ courtโ date is scheduledโ for December 12th at 1:30 p.m. in the Santa Clara County Juvenileโค Court.
Context: Attempted murder and assault with a firearm are serious โฃfelonies in California. The decision to try a juvenile as an adult is typically reserved โฃfor casesโ involving โฃviolent crimes and isโข based on factors such as the severity of theโข offense,theโค juvenile’s prior record,and the โpotentialโข for rehabilitation. If convicted as โคan adult, the teenager could face decades โฃin state prison.
