4 arrested in killing of 2 teens at Calif. park

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (AP) - Four people have been arrested in connection with a shooting at an Oceanside park that left two teenagers dead and injured two others earlier this month.

Search warrants served at five locations led to the arrests Friday of Santo Diaz and Michael Zurita, both 19, and Martin Melendrez, 21.

The three men were booked into jail for investigation of first-degree murder and attempted murder. They also face allegations of participating in a criminal street gang. A teenage boy also was taken into custody.

Police said 13-year-old Melanie Virgen and 15-year-old Edgar Sanchez were killed March 13 at Libby Lake Park. Two boys, both under 17, were wounded.

"We would like to reach out to the families of the boys who committed this horrible crime and tell them that our love, thoughts and prayers are with you now," Jon Krause, a spokesman for both victims' families, said in a statement. "We hold no ill will but instead we offer our support and friendship."

The four teens were attacked at the hilltop site of a makeshift memorial for another boy and girl who were shot to death on the same slope in May 2011, according to U-T San Diego (http://bit.ly/10bG6BG).

Police made four arrests in the 2011 case and have said the slayings of 16-year-old Fernando Solano and 14-year-old Sandra Salgado were gang-related.

Tyrone Blackmon was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to be an accessory. Three others are charged with murder.


Information from: U-T San Diego, http://www.utsandiego.com

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