Coroner IDs Man Killed In Robbery At Non-Permitted Dispensary

WATSONVILLE, CA — A man who died in a shooting in Watsonville on Saturday has been identified by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office as 32-year-old Dominic Quintana. Officers were called to the area of Lawrence Avenue near South Green Valley Road to reports of shots fired at 8:50 p.m. They arrived to find Quintana, a Watsonville resident, in the driveway of a nearby home. He died where police found him.

Police said they located a man fleeing from the scene after receiving additional reports. Police identified the man as Louis Ledesma, 49, running in the area of Holm Road and Anna Street.

Officers began pursuing him on foot, but Ledesma allegedly waved a handgun in the officers' direction. The officer was able to knock it out of Ledesma's hand due to proximity, and Ledesma allegedly continued to run,
according to police.

Police said they eventually arrested Ledesma after using a Taser stun gun and deploying a K-9. An investigation revealed that Ledesma and Quintana had allegedly attempted a robbery at a non-permitted marijuana dispensary when the shooting occurred. Officers located guns, ammunition and spent shell casings at the scene of the shooting, according to police.

Eli and Elias Gutierrez operated the dispensary, police said. The suspects in the robbery allegedly stole cash and marijuana and police said there was an "exchange of gunfire" as the suspects fled the scene. At 5:55 a.m. Sunday, police arrested the Gutierrez pair for allegedly killing the man. The pair and Ledesma, all Watsonville residents, were booked into Santa Cruz County Jail.

Ledesma was booked on suspicion of armed robbery, brandishing a gun, being a felon in possession of a gun, resisting arrest and violating parole.

By Bay City News

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