Update, Nov. 19, 1:27 p.m. The Alameda County district attorney’s office has not filed charges in this case, and spokeswoman Teresa Drenick says it remains under investigation by the Berkeley Police Department. Said Officer Byron White, police ultimately released Emauj Roos, Aaron Meredith and Caleb Williams “without complaint”: “As a result of further investigation into the case, we did not find sufficient evidence to hold three of the adult arrestees.” The other teenager, 18-year-old Berkeley High School student Danari Williams, was released after the DA’s office declined to pursue charges at this time.
Original post, Nov. 18, 9 a.m. After being assaulted by a group of teenage males in South Berkeley over the weekend, a 16-year-old boy is in critical but stable condition this week, authorities said.
Police released additional details Tuesday in response to a request for an update about the case from Berkeleyside.
Officer Byron White, a Berkeley Police spokesman, said officers responded shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday to multiple calls “about a group of men attacking a man” on the ground in the 1200 block of Ashby Avenue, near Mabel Street.
The incident followed a related altercation about 15 minutes prior near San Pablo Park, at Park and Ward streets.
Officers were nearby and arrived quickly to find an unconscious 16-year-old male on the pavement near Ashby and Mabel.
Medical personnel attended to the teen, who had what appeared to be major blunt force trauma to the head, while other officers spotted the group believed to be linked to the attack walking on Heinz Street toward San Pablo Avenue.
“When officers attempted to detain the group, the group fled — running into the neighborhood just west of San Pablo Avenue,” White said. “Officers immediately formed a perimeter around the area and conducted a block search for the suspects — eventually locating and arresting six persons in connection to the attack.”
Berkeley paramedics took the 16-year-old to the hospital for treatment for his injuries, which were described as life-threatening. He remained in critical condition at the hospital Tuesday. Police have not released his city of residence.
A woman who identified the teen as her brother wrote on Berkeleyside on Tuesday that he is expected to survive, but has not responded to a request for additional comment.
Police identified the arrested young men as three 18-year-olds from Berkeley — Aaron Meredith, Emauj Roos and Danari Williams — and 19-year-old Caleb Williams of Oakland. They are being held without bail.
Police also arrested two boys, a 17-year-old from Berkeley and a 15-year-old from San Leandro.
All six were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. The young men are scheduled for arraignment Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 2 p.m. at the Wiley Manuel Courthouse in downtown Oakland.
No further information was available about the arrested juveniles due to privacy laws protecting minors.
White said authorities have not determined whether there are additional suspects in the case due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.
“At this point, the case remains under active investigation,” he said.
Police ask anyone with information regarding this crime to call the Berkeley Police Department Homicide Unit at 510-981-5741.
Related:
Male sustains serious head injury after fight; 6 arrested (07.15.15)
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