No charges filed against man arrested for shooting 5 teens in Merced

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Merced County District Attorney's Office did not file charges Friday against Daniel Mays, who was arrested in connection to the shooting of five teens in Merced earlier this week.

The shooting happened on Jan. 30 in the area of Main Street at around 8 p.m. Four teens were rushed to Modesto hospitals, where one remains in critical condition.

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Investigators say someone walked up to them, possibly got into an argument, and then opened fire.

The SWAT team arrested Mays at his home near the crime scene four days later.

Police say he was identified by witnesses and has a history of gang activity, but prosecutors have asked them for some additional information. He was released on Friday.

On Tuesday, police announced a fifth victim came forward.

Detectives are now continuing to do follow-up work on the case.

They say Mays is still a suspect, but they want to ensure the right person is held accountable for the crime.

Four of the victims in this case were listed as stable shortly after the shooting, but 16-year-old Patrick Amador remains in critical condition. His grandmother described his injuries Thursday night.

She said, "The bullet entered his forehead, and ended up lodging in the back of his head. They may never remove it."

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Patrick's mother told Action News over a text message that she is shocked by the news that Mays will be released.

The DA's Office did not want to comment on the possibility of him being re-arrested due to the ongoing investigation.

Editor's Note: The video above is from our Feb. 4 broadcast.