By Khalida Sarwari
Two teens wanted for attempting to shoot at people at a Walmart in Salinas last month were arrested earlier this week on suspicion of carjacking.
Officers arrested Andrew Chavez, 18, and a 17-year-old boy, in connection with a carjacking Wednesday afternoon, according to police.
The suspects approached a 54-year-old man sitting in his maroon Volkswagen Passat on Park Street next to Central Park, police said.
The 17-year-old boy allegedly entered the passenger seat of the car and tried to distract the man as Chavez opened the driver’s door, pointed a gun at the man and demanded his car keys, police said.
The man complied and Chavez sat in the driver’s seat as a third suspect sat in the back of the car. They sped off towards Capitol Street.
As Chavez was making a right turn onto West Market Street from Capitol Street, a white van struck the Volkswagen, causing major damage to the car. Both cars fled the scene.
Officers later found Chavez and the 17-year-old boy hiding at a nearby apartment complex. The third suspect in that incident remains at large.
Detectives determined the teens matched the descriptions of two people captured on surveillance video trying to fire a gun at a Walmart store at 1800 N. Main St. around midnight on Sept. 17.
Surveillance footage shows the suspects trying to steal a purse from an elderly woman, police said. The woman resisted and her husband came to help her. After a brief struggle, one of the suspects took out a handgun and pulled the trigger, but the weapon did not fire, according to police.
The footage shows the suspects walking toward the front of the business and the armed suspect appeared to be trying to get the gun to work, according to police. Again, he pointed the gun at several people and pulled the trigger, but it would not fire. The suspects eventually left the store and fled toward Dartmouth Way.
Chavez was booked into Monterey County jail and the 17-year-old suspect was booked into juvenile hall. Both were booked on suspicion of carjacking, attempted murder, attempted robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy, and gang enhancements.
Chavez was additionally wanted for burglary and conspiracy in an unrelated case.