A 23-year-old man has been charged with murder over the fatal shooting of a teenage boy at a Safeway parking lot in American Canyon, California.
Christopher “Roly” Young from Martinez, California, was arrested early Monday on an unrelated charge after Napa officers responded to multiple calls regarding a young “black male adult who was jumping fences and running through backyards” in Napa County, north of San Francisco, according to a Napa County Sheriff’s Office statement.
“During these initial stages of the investigation, it was believed this suspect was not associated with the shooting based on witness descriptions,” police said, though detectives did not rule out a possibility Young was the gunman, the statement added.
As homicide detectives continued the investigation, they found a vehicle of interest that was possibly used in the Aug. 16 deadly shooting of 18-year-old Nathan Garza, a teenager who graduated at Rodriguez High School this year and was planning to attend Diablo Valley College.
The vehicle was described as a white Cadillac sedan and was seen fleeing the scene of the shooting at a high speed, authorities said.
Detectives also obtained a surveillance video of the scene that showed the owner of the Cadillac, which led investigators to a potential suspect who matched the description of Young.
“Residential surveillance video showed a male subject matching the description of Young parking and exiting the vehicle within minutes of the shooting,” the statement said.
“He then left the area on foot in the direction in which he was eventually apprehended. A subsequent search of the vehicle located a .45 caliber handgun, the same caliber handgun used in the Safeway shooting,” it continued.
No potential motive has been released by investigators and officials said the suspect refuses to speak. The relation between Young and Garza is unknown, but they appear not to be related and don’t know each other. Police said the two also didn’t interact with each other before the shooting.
Arrest Made In Fatal Shooting at American Canyon Safeway.
23 year old Christopher “Roly” Young, from Martinez, has been arrested and charged with murder. Nathan Gabriel Garza, 18 years old from Fairfield, was shot and pronounced dead at the scene. Nathan was a Safeway employee. pic.twitter.com/4Pv30B4q4v— Napa Co. Sheriff’s Office (@NapaSheriff) August 17, 2020
Vigil Assembles in Prayer
The high school graduate had just recently started the job at Safeway and was delivering groceries in the parking lot at the time of the shooting, a coworker said.
“It is unbelievable that this happened,” Safeway store manager Maritza Cashman told local outlet Napa Valley Register. “Nathan Garza was a warm and kind and helpful young adult. Just his spirit. He had a warm spirit. Everyone liked working with him. He was so likable.”
About 300 people attending a candlelight vigil for the young adult late on Monday chanted “Nathan Garza,” as many held white balloons and assembled in prayer.
“We are all better together. Speak his name. Every time you speak his name, his memory stays alive,” said American Canyon pastor Terrance Nichols, who led the assembly.
A GoFundMe was set up in support of the family a day after the incident. In the fundraiser, Garza is described as someone who “loved the outdoors, sports (baseball in particular), camping, fishing, and his family.”
His mother Tracy Garza told news agency KTVU her son was already training with the baseball team at Diablo Valley College and dreamed of becoming a pitcher for Oakland Athletics one day.
“Thank you, Nathan, for being a bright light to all your friends and family. We all will miss your smile, your laugh, and your friendship,” his GoFundMe page stated.
