Two nabbed on suspicion of attempted murder after I St. shooting
Madera Police Department
Joseph Luis Huerta Jr., left, and Moses McGuire Jr.
Two Madera men have been arrested in connection with a shooting that occurred on 4th and I Streets last weekend, according to the Madera Police Department.
Moses McGuire, Jr., 18, and Joseph Luis Huerta, Jr., 23, were arrested on felony charges of attempted murder after a police investigation identified the pair from passing motorists and multiple video surveillance cameras from nearby businesses.
Public information officer Sgt. Mark Trukki said it wasn’t yet known why the two targeted the car Friday night the 23rd of August with the three young men in it and opened fire, but McGuire is a known gang member and has a long criminal history in spite of only being 18 years old. The three victims deny and apparently had no gang affiliation, but the investigation into the motive is ongoing, Trukki said.
McGuire is believed to have been the one that fired the shots from the passenger seat, according to Trukki.
Huerta has little to no criminal history, he said.
“They were first seen at and then leaving the AMPM store on Gateway about 10:30 pm. There doesn’t appear to be any altercation or fight. McGuire and Huerta then followed the other car and when they turned east on to 4th, they fired about three small caliber rounds at them from behind. One shot went through the car and struck a 19-year-old man riding in the front passenger’s seat. He was struck in the side of his neck. The bullet ended up near his spine, so they can’t remove it ... but he was fortunate and is now recovering at home. He could have been killed,” Trukki said. “We don’t know where the other rounds went,” and they could have easily struck anyone else nearby on Fourth Street, he said, but no other injuries were reported.
The motive for the shooting remains under investigation, Trukki said, but it is possible the incident was a case of mistaken identity or even potentially retaliation for the gang-related homicide in July, in which a gang member was shot and killed while outside at a party.
In an ironic coincidence Moses McGuire, Sr., 38, who also has a long criminal history, according to police records was arrested five days before his son on charges of making criminal terrorist threats, and inflicting bodily injury on a spouse and various other probation violations. His bond was set at $100,000.
Moses McGuire, Jr., and Joseph Luis Huerta, Jr., are both being held in the Madera County jail on $1 million bond.
