Prosecutors file charges against alleged Pomona gang members

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- Prosecutors have filed charges against three Pomona men arrested Thursday following a car chase and officer-involved shooting in Ontario.

For background info try here and here.

Martin Chavez, Carlos Alfredo Monge and Alexandro Gomez (pictured in that order from top to bottom) were each charged Monday with multiple felonies. There was no information immediately available about when the men, alleged gang members, will be arraigned.

Chavez, 21, was charged with participating in a criminal street gang, carrying a loaded firearm, and assault on a peace officer or firefighter. The assault charge carries a prison sentence of up to eight years.

Monge, 19, and Gomez, 21, were each charged with participating in a criminal street gang, carrying a loaded firearm, and possessing a gun as a felon.

Monge was also charged with evading a peace officer with wanton disregard for safety.

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Here's the initial story on Thursday's incident:

Man shot during police pursuit in Ontario

Jannise Johnson and Will Bigham, Staff Writers

Created: 07/16/2009 08:56:15 PM PDT

ONTARIO - A man was shot by police Thursday after a car chase that ended in a neighborhood southwest of Vineyard Avenue and Fourth Street.

Four alleged gang members, including one shot by police, were in custody by 4:45 p.m., police said.

Ontario police gang officers were watching a house in the 1400 block of East Elma Street at about 2:30 p.m., Ontario police Cpl. Bill Russell said.

"At one point, the primary suspect and three others got into a vehicle and fled and a short pursuit ensued," Russell said.

Police weren't sure what caused the men to run from the officers, he said.

The chase ended a short time later in the 1000 block of North Mariposa Avenue when the driver crashed into a brick wall, Russell said. The men ran off and officers followed.

"We believe at least two of the suspects were armed at that point," Russell said.

During the foot pursuit, several shots were fired and one of the suspects was struck, he said.

The condition of the wounded suspect was not immediately available.

One of the suspects was caught in a swimming pool, police said.

"I believe he was trying to elude us by appearing to take a swim," Russell said.

Searching the neighborhood, police located and arrested a fourth suspect about 4:40 p.m., according to information broadcast over the police dispatch system.

The incident caused a traffic slowdown in the area of Vineyard and Fourth and backed up traffic on the westbound side of the 10 Freeway.

Police say all four of the men are Pomona gang members.

There was no immediate information on why the four were in Ontario, Russell said.

Police reportedly recovered several weapons after the arrests.

Gang officers were watching the house because one of the men was a parolee-at-large, police said.

One neighbor in the area of Plaza Serena and North Merced Avenue said he heard what sounded like nine gunshots in the area during the incident.

Ontario police were assisted during the search by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, Pomona police K-9 units and California Highway Patrol.

The shooting will be investigated by a unit within the Ontario Police Department.

Once the investigation determines how many officers fired at the suspect, they will be placed on administrative leave for three days, police said.

Once the Police Department finishes the shooting investigation, the findings will be forwarded to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office for review.

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Here's today's brief on police identifying the suspects:

ONTARIO

Police ID men arrested in officer-involved shooting

Police have identified the four people arrested Thursday afternoon following a car chase that ended in an Ontario neighborhood southwest of Vineyard Avenue and Fourth Street.

Martin Chavez, 21, was shot by police during the incident and remained in critical condition on Monday.

Also arrested were Carlos Monge, 19, and Alejandro Gomez, 21. The three men are alleged gang members from Pomona, police said in a news release.

The fourth person arrested in the incident was a 16-year-old boy from Corona. He was not named by police because he is a minor.

Police said the men were armed with guns during the incident. It wasn't clear, based on the news release, whether all the men were armed.

The police officer involved in the shooting, who has been with the department for seven years, was placed on paid administrative leave for three days, according to the news release.