Background: News footage from the scene of the Oct. 31 shooting in Chula Vista, Calif. (KFMB). Insets (left to right): Kane Roldan and Elias Yanez (GoFundMe).
A Halloween party in California turned violent after one teenager allegedly shot two others to death during a fight.
David Garcia, 18, pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances for using a firearm, negligent discharge, and carrying a loaded firearm in public when he appeared in court on Wednesday. The charges were in connection with the shooting deaths of 15-year-old Kane Roldan and 17-year-old Elias Yanez, who died after reportedly trying to intervene in an altercation between Garcia and one of their friends.
Prosecutors said in court that Garcia had allegedly been showing off the gun in his waistband at the house party where more than 100 people were present.
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According to courtroom reporting by Times of San Diego, Deputy District Attorney for San Diego County Jason Yeh said that before the altercation involving Roldan and Yanez, Garcia allegedly fired his gun into the air during another incident in an attempt to scare the person away.
Later that Halloween night, Garcia was reportedly arguing with a different partygoer who was a friend of Roldan and Yanez. Yeh said that the two teens tried to intervene, then Garcia allegedly "tragically killed these two boys."
In a press release, the Chula Vista Police Department said that officers responded to reports of a shooting at 11:17 p.m. When they arrived, they found Roldan and Yanez with gunshot wounds and began lifesaving measures. Both teens were brought to the hospital and were pronounced dead.
Police said that Garcia was arrested on Monday. He is being held at the George Bailey Detention Facility without bond. His next court date is scheduled for Dec. 12.
