Young man shoots at police in East Palo Alto

Within the first 24 hours of East Palo Alto’s “crime emergency,” officers apprehended three men with guns, including one man who shot at an officer, according to Capt. John Chalmers.

Chalmers said he didn’t know if the men had been involved in any of the seven shootings in the last two weeks, which had prompted Chief Ron Davis to declare a two-week “crime emergency,” pulling in six officers from the California Highway Patrol.

The first incident occurred Friday shortly after 4 p.m. when officers patrolling one of the designated high-crime zones in the 1200 block of Cypress Street spotted two people sitting in a vehicle, Chalmers said.

Officers arrested Colin Abberton, 21, a white male from Stockton, after learning he had a loaded handgun, in violation of his probation.

At 1:11 a.m. Saturday, a caller reported that people were drinking outside a house in the 2800 block of Fordham Street. Chalmers would not say if that was also a designated high-crime zone.

Officers arrived at the house and saw two men drinking in the front yard, Chalmers said. After identifying themselves as officers, one man shot at them with a revolver, missing the officers and striking a house across the street, Chalmers said.

Officers arrested Mark Rentie, 19, a black male from East Palo Alto, on suspicion of assaulting a police officer with a firearm. Alfredo Barraza, 22, a Hispanic male from East Palo Alto, was also arrested and charged with possession of a firearm, Chalmers said.

There were no injuries in either incident.

“I believe we were able to get these people in custody because of that special enforcement team,” Chalmers said.