Man shot dead, at least five stabbed in brawl by Lake Berryessa, Napa sheriff says
A man was shot dead and at least five people were stabbed in a large fight Saturday evening on the shore of Lake Berryessa, the Napa County Sheriff’s Office said.
Police on Sunday identified the victim as Andres Fabian Sandoval Garcia, 39, of Vallejo.
“There were several victims who were stabbed,” said Sheriff’s Office spokesman Henry Wofford. “We don’t have the count at this point. My understanding is there’s more than five who were stabbed for sure.”
Two people with stab wounds were airlifted to hospitals in serious condition, Wofford said. Other stabbing victims were driven to hospitals by friends or family members, he added.
“We’re actually at hospital emergency rooms ... looking for witnesses and victims,” Wofford said at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, adding that officers were also still at the scene talking with witnesses.
Police were called at 5:30 p.m. to the Oak Shores day-use area, Wofford said. “We didn’t witness the brawl,” Wofford said. “By the time we were there, there wasn’t a brawl, there were victims, stabbed victims and a gunshot victim. It was pretty chaotic.”
Investigators had not determined what started the fight, or how many people were involved, Wofford said. “I can’t tell you if it was all one pack or if it was four different groups all fighting at the same time,” he said. “There’s a chance that there was more than one initial altercation.”
On Sunday deputies said one of the brawlers, who was expected to be arrested, was suspected of going to his vehicle to retrieve a gun after the fight broke out. Deputies said the suspect had fled the scene after the shooting but was detained a few miles north of the lake and taken to a hospital.
“While that suspect/patient is still hospitalized and is improving, because they’re not booked yet and for security of the hospital and the deputies detaining at the hospital, we’re not releasing the name of that person or that hospital,” Wofford said.
The Oak Shores day-use area on the west side of Lake Berryessa — which had a high of 86 degrees Saturday — is free to access and gets very crowded when the weather is nice, Wofford said.
Because of the “size and nature” of the incident, the Sheriff’s Office is being assisted in the investigation by the Napa County Major Crimes Task Force, which includes the Napa Police Department and the Napa County District Attorney’s Office, Wofford said.
“We’re in the infancy stage of this investigation,” Wofford said.
