Three arrested in connection with shooting death- with video

Three Yuma teenagers were arrested late Friday afternoon in connection with the gang-related shooting death of a 16-year-old, according to Yuma police.

Octavio Acosta, 16, was shot in the early hours of Friday morning, the Yuma Police Department said in a news release.

Officers initially responded to a call of gunshots around 1:06 a.m. Friday in the area of the 4100 block of South Jojoba Avenue. While they were en route, the call was upgraded to a man down in the 6200 block of East 41st Avenue.

There, officers found Acosta, who lived in the area, on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds, said YPD spokesman Clint Norred. Acosta was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.

Throughout the day, the case developed rapidly, police said in the release, and resulted in the arrest of John Sanchez, 18, Robert Ramirez, 16, and Cassandra Vargas, 15, all of whom are of Yuma.

Sanchez was booked in the Yuma County Adult Detention Facility on suspicion of first degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and participating in a criminal street gang.

Ramirez and Vargas were both booked into the Yuma County Juvenile Justice Center on suspicion of the same allegations.
Sanchez, Ramirez and Vargas all will have initial court appearances tomorrow.

The death, which police said was gang-related, remains under investigation. The Yuma Police Department encourages anybody with any information about this case to please call the Yuma Police Department at 1-928-373-4700 or 78-Crime to remain anonymous.