Man shot Sunday, and police say gangs involved
by TP staff
Nov 02, 2009 | 4301 views | 29 29 comments | 31 31 recommendations | email to a friend | print
A man was shot Sunday evening in Tracy in a possible gang-related shooting, police said.

At about 5:19 p.m. on Sunday, Tracy police found Ismael Nieto, 28, laying on the ground near the intersection of Lowell Avenue and Corral Hollow Road, having suffered two gunshot wounds to his upper torso, spokesman Sgt. Tony Sheneman said.

Police received several calls a few minutes earlier from people who said they heard gunshots around Alegre Drive and Corral Hollow Road.

Nieto, a Tracy resident, was taken to Sutter Tracy Community Hospital and later transferred to a hospital in Modesto. Sheneman said Nieto was going into surgery around midnight, but his status as of this morning is unknown.

Sheneman said the shooting appears to be gang related.

Witnesses told police that two men wearing bandanas over their faces approached Nieto. After some words were exchanged, five to seven shots were fired.

A caller in the police log said that people in a red Camaro fired five or six shots and drove off toward Alegre Drive. Nieto told police that he didn’t know who shot him and was unable to give a description of the shooters.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to call Detective Matt Sierra at 831-6675.

Contact a Tracy Press reporter or editor at 835-3030 or tpnews@tracypress.com.

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comments (29)
« blunder wrote on Thursday, Nov 05 at 11:07 AM »
You can blame the lackluster enforcement on gang activity on our city government. Past and present. Our city government has wanted the residents of Tracy to believe that they are living in a secure city, so what do they do? They tell police officials to tell the public that there are no gangs in Tracy. Now, with the increase in violent crimes, there is no hiding the truth. City government should stay out of police business and let the police take care of business. City government has already shown it's lack of experience in running this city. Our city government is a farce.
« MarleyNMe wrote on Thursday, Nov 05 at 05:58 AM »
For ten years it wasn't a problem. Now it is a "problem". The problem is the Gang Unit isn't effective when needed. They operate autonomously and nobody knows what they do. Until they fail. Like they did this year. They were supposed to have identified these gangs and cracked down on them to keep this from happening. Obviously they didn't do that. A better idea would have them working with the rest of the TPD. If that means disbanding them to get a group that is NOT an island in the TPD anymore. I'm all for it. Let's find somethng that works. Anything is better than working in a bubble. POP!
« blunder wrote on Wednesday, Nov 04 at 10:02 PM »
You know what's funny about this article? In years past the police said Tracy didn't have a gang problem. I find it hard to believe that in a couple of years violent crime has grown to astounding proportions. Maybe the city council would like to change their votes and keep the gang unit.
« mommieoftwo wrote on Tuesday, Nov 03 at 02:43 PM »
RedHotChilliPepper;

I agree that change can be good and is probably warranted. I have a thought for change...how about the Chief actually SUPPORTS the gang unit?? That would be a change. I am sure without her support and especially now that they are being disbanded they are limited in what they can and cant do.
« highpockets wrote on Tuesday, Nov 03 at 02:25 PM »
1littledog:

Hey, why not toss an example or two of what the Chief and City Manager have done that makes them more qualified than our last Chief or City Manager? It is pretty easy to make statements, how about some examples. Frankly I was not supportive of our last Chief and the former City Manager had baggage, however, two wrongs do not make a right.

Onto another topic within your comments to Cinderdog, I do not know or care about "inside information" or who might perform better as a City Council person, however, I found the same information as Cinderdog represented concerning the 13 person gang unit and the background on Olathe, Kansas's new chief on their website. You may care to visit that for your own confirmation!!!!

As to whoever might care to run for City Council at the next election, my suspicion is that there will be a number of people prepared to better represent this City than the current cast of characters.
« RedHotChilliPeppers wrote on Tuesday, Nov 03 at 01:19 PM »
Maybe the best thing to do when a program like this fails is to rotate. Get some fresh ideas. Why not start by more sharing of info between officers instead of a secret society that the article tells us is failing to muster good marks? Anything would be better if it makes a difference in the rash of new crimes. I'm for one willing to give it a try. I'm sure the officers would like to see some success on their efforts too. The only thing we have to fear is fear of change, itself.
« RedHotChilliPeppers wrote on Tuesday, Nov 03 at 01:10 PM »
What? Dont you mean someone turned in a license plate and a description? Look at the title of the article. Why would you pour more money (we don't have) into a failed Program?
« mommieoftwo wrote on Tuesday, Nov 03 at 01:02 PM »
MarleyNme:

Just because YOU do not know what the gang unit is doing, does not mean they are doing nothing. That is really an ignorant statement to make. Due to the information that the gang unit had the suspects in the Amore's shooting were arrested within a day or two if I remember correctly. Without this information they may still be out there! Think about this citizens of Tracy, with the gang problem escalating maybe we should EXPAND the gang unit, not get rid of it. If the gang unit is disbanded then that will mean the officers on duty will be responsible to handle all gang related calls/activity, plus the regular calls for service. As of now the gang unit is the one to respond to gang activity leaving current officers available to respond to calls for service. And being a faithful reader of these blogs, many people already bitch about the time it takes for an officer response. It will get worse! Along with our gang problem!
« AAAnnie wrote on Tuesday, Nov 03 at 12:09 PM »
As a parent of teens I would just like to comment on the gang activity talk going around. I have seen some of the kids who go over to Villa. My son has been over there, but not late at night. The kids he will hang out with show up in the late afternoon. I don't know if those are the same ones the writers are talking about. These kids are not gang members. They may look like they are, but they are not. I bet a lot of the "gang crime" being discussed here is just teens and young adults acting out. They take matters into their own hands and don't tattle on each other. Most young people are awesome. There are some, though, that ruin it for the rest.
« whaaaaat??? wrote on Tuesday, Nov 03 at 09:51 AM »
You're the one to give advice, you run 1littledog?

« 1littledog wrote on Tuesday, Nov 03 at 09:45 AM »
Cinderdog,

It seems like you know more or feel you could do a better job then the city manager or chief. Why don't you run for city counsel instead of complaining about issues you do not have all the facts to. It is pretty clear that you know or have inside information within the department. Maybe the city manager andchief were hired to get rid of the trouble makers that provided you with that information if you are not one of them. We need to be supportive and give them a chance within the community. They both so far have done a better job then the last city manager and chief if you recall.

« projects wrote on Tuesday, Nov 03 at 07:24 AM »
Jerry just "cherry picks" whatever project/plans HE wants to do. We are just a waste of time for these politicians, we are the "little people" in their eyes and not to be concerned with.

(Poor Veterans!)...they're treated worse.

Public relations must be raking in money. They're there for the photos and nothing more!

Well, ankle biters are coming out in force!

CN

Peeved at J.N.

CN
« FrostySnowball wrote on Tuesday, Nov 03 at 06:40 AM »
Maybe he can join tonight's town meeting via phonee, instead of giving us the dial tone?
« FrostySnowball wrote on Tuesday, Nov 03 at 06:35 AM »
I have before me on my desk a letter from Jerry McNerney stating the following. "I travel home to California every weekend to attend events in our community."

It also says the following. "I hold telephone town halls regularly."

Before the election I saw Jerry McNerney standing in a grocery store in Tracy, CA. And arriving at MonteVista.

After the election, I listened to Jerry McNerney on a telephone conference call, where the operator told us to "hurry up" with our questions? Why?

Another thing that boggles me is why our city didn't get congressional funds. If I recall there were cameras at the Sandra Cantu memorial. Politicians were there THEN.

Where's Jerry McNerney and his gongressional funding NOW, when you NEED him?

Is he unaware of the escalating issues going on in his congressional district?

Tracy Press,

Would you PLEASE get Jerry McNerney on a telephonE conference call and ask him if he will be 'traveling to Tracy, CA attend this event in our community (his congressional district)'?

« sickofthis wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 11:10 PM »
So as Im reading this article I hear 2 gunshots coming from a few streets behind me. This has go to stop. There was a gang fight in the mall parking lot this morning as well. The came with baseball bats and started bashing out windows in a car with people inside. When is this city going to realize this is a problem and it is only going to get worse if they do not act on it NOW. I have lived in this town for 25years and let me tell you...i dont want to live her anymore.
« MarleyNMe wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 09:33 PM »
igaveup,

Having a "gang unit" that nobody knows what the heck they do (or don't do) is not my idea of "coming together".
« MarleyNMe wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 09:31 PM »
The purpose of the Gang Intelligence Unit to help address the issues associated with gang activity in the community. Clearly the gang unit isn't working. Read the newspapers the job of a gang unit should have been to prevent this from happening. Clearly that's not what happened. It actually got worse, with the "Gang unit" in place. Time to hit the reset button and find out why the "gang unit" is working in a bubble or start over with something that actually would work. I understand other cities are getting rid of "gang units". They tend to operate in a bubble and nobody knows what they are NOT doing until it's too late. Like the problem we have right now. What's up the sleeve of TPD Chief? I guess we'll have to see tomorrow.
« igaveup wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 08:54 PM »
We need to stop these "domestic terrorists." The situation is getting out of control.

We need to come together and show these wannabe gangbangers this will not be tolerated.

Great idea to disband the gang task force huh? What a joke.
« gagme wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 08:06 PM »
redhot what are some of the flaws of the current gang unit?
« RedHotChilliPeppers wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 06:48 PM »
Is there a better model for TPD? Currently they employ the "gang unit" model, which has flaws. What are the new ideas that are coming?


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