2 men arrested on attempted murder charges in Kings County

Marc Anthony Lopez Image
Thursday, August 31, 2023
2 men arrested on attempted murder charges in Kings County
Two men have been arrested for allegedly shooting two people after following them from a market just outside Hanford.

KINGS COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two men have been arrested for allegedly shooting two people after following them from a market just outside Hanford.

On Sunday, Kings County Sheriff's Deputies were called to 10 1/2 Avenue near Hanford Armona Road just before 7:30 p.m. for a shooting.

When deputies arrived, they found two victims who claimed two men they didn't know had shot them.

The victims said at a nearby market, they noticed the two men in the parking lot. After finishing up in the store, the victims left in their truck and the two men followed in their car.

When the victims arrived home and when began exiting the truck, the men opened fire from inside their car.

The two victims inside the truck ducked down to avoid the gunfire and a third victim standing in the front yard of the home narrowly avoided being hit.

The suspects drove away once they stopped shooting.

Deputies issued a be on the lookout after obtaining surveillance footage of the suspect's and their vehicle from the market.

At 8:30 p.m., officers with the Hanford Police Department located the suspect's vehicle on Wes Grangeville Boulevard and North 11th Avenue.

Hanford Police conducted a traffic stop and detained 19-year-old Santiago Cortez and 22-year-old Isias Vasquez. Both men matched the men seen on the surveillance footage from the market.

During a search of their car, officers found a black .40 caliber handgun, along with several spent shell casings.

Both men had prior convictions. Vasquez was on parole and was convicted of a felony that prohibited him from having a gun or ammo.

Cortez and Vasquez were booked into the Kings County Jail on the charges of attempted murder and shooting at an inhabited dwelling/vehicle. Vazquez had additional charges filed on him including felon in possession of a firearm, prohibited person in possession of ammunition and violation of Parole.

Cortez's bail was set at $750,000 and Vasquez's bail was set at $780,000.