Three young men accused of taking part in a string of pellet gun shootings allegedly targeting the LGBTQ+ community in Hillcrest pleaded not guilty Thursday to battery charges and hate crime allegations.
Anthony Lopez-Quinonez, Arturo Herrera-Sustaita and Angelo Nathaniel Aron, all 19, are accused in gel pellet shootings on six victims along University Avenue on the night of Sept. 7.
The trio were arrested last Thursday, while co-defendant Hernan Garduno Hernandez, also 19, was previously arrested and pleaded not guilty in September. They face up to six years and four months in prison if convicted of all counts and allegations.
San Diego police said a vehicle allegedly used by the suspects during the shootings was identified through the department's license plate reader system, which led to the suspects' identification.
All four defendants are out of custody. On Thursday, Superior Court Judge John Pro ruled that Lopez-Quinonez, Herrera-Sustaita and Aron could remain out of custody as long as they stay away from the 300 and 400 blocks of University Avenue and agree to what's known as a 4th Amendment waiver, which allows them to be searched without a warrant or probable cause.
While no facts of the case were discussed in court Thursday, a prosecutor at Hernandez's arraignment in September said the attacks happened within a half-hour period stretching from about 9:40 p.m. to 10:10 p.m.
At that hearing, Deputy District Attorney Mei Owen said a group of friends standing outside the Burger Lounge restaurant were fired on first. Three of the victims were struck in the arms and legs, she said.
About 15 minutes later, an employee of Urban Mo's Bar & Grill was outside when he was hit by a gel pellet, according to the prosecutor. Twelve minutes later, a couple walking out of Urban Mo's was struck in their upper bodies, Owen said. The couple saw a car drive past and heard laughter coming from the vehicle.
