THE MURDER OF A 19 YEAR-OLD MAN IN WATSONVILLE OVER THE WEEKEND APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN “GANG MOTIVATED”. SOQUEL RESIDENT LUIS DURAN WAS TARGETED BECAUSE THE SHOOTER THOUGHT DURAN WAS A RIVAL GANG MEMBER. ALTHOUGH DURAN DID HAVE LINKS TO GANG MEMBERS IN THE PAST, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES DO NOT BELIEVE DURAN WAS IN A GANG AT THE TIME OF THE EARLY SATURDAY MORNING SHOOTING ON MANFRE ROAD.
AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH, DURAN WAS REPORTEDLY RECOVERING FROM STAB WOUNDS HE RECEIVED JUNE 19TH IN DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE. THE EARLIER ATTACK WAS ALSO GANG MOTIVATED. DURAN ATTENDED CABRILLO COLLEGE, AND WORKED AT A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY. MEMORIAL PLANS HAVE YET TO BE DETERMINED.
