According to Tracy police Lt. Wade Harper, police received a call at 8:15 p.m. for a robbery with shots fired at the bowling alley, 2365 East St.
During the robbery, Harper said, the victim allegedly struggled with the gunmen inside of his BMW 745i, which caused him to crash into a wall on the south side of the parking lot. As the men fought, one of the gunmen fired a gun, sending bullets through the vehicle’s windshield, Harper said.
The two alleged robbers are described as a Latino male and a black male, but no further description was available, Harper said. They were last seen running toward 22nd Street, where they jumped a fence.
Police were still searching for the two men as of 1 a.m. Friday.
Immediately after police received the call, officers surrounded the area and began a yard-to-yard search. Officers and two K-9 teams started on Holly Drive and moved east between 21st and 22nd streets.
A California Highway Patrol helicopter used a spotlight to help with the search.
After more than two hours of searching the area around the bowling alley, police called off the helicopter and dog teams.
“We didn’t find them,” Harper said.
Mark Sanders, who said he witnessed the alleged robbery, said one of the men was hanging onto the victim’s car as he tried to drive away.
“We were parking when we heard gunshots,” said Sanders, who was accompanied by his wife, Beth Sanders, and their two children, ages 4 and 6.
“I told the kids to get down,” he said. “Two guys were trying to take a car. They jumped into the back seat, and the guy tried to grab the gun. One guy was hanging on while the guy (victim) tried to get away.”
Beth Sanders said that in the aftermath, she ran into the bowling alley with her two children. The family was at the alley to meet friends.
“Pretty scary,” she said.
A security guard working at the bowling alley, who declined to give his name, said he heard the victim was planning to go into the Bowl at the time of the attempted robbery.
“I was inside the bar,” said the security guard. “People were saying there was an accident and I should check it out. I came outside and called 911.”
A crowd had gathered outside the front door of the bowling alley as a police crime-scene technician took pictures of the inside and outside of the victim’s car in the parking lot. Detectives were also seen talking to the victim as he stood outside a nearby police car.
Police are asking anyone with information about the robbery to call Tracy Police Department, 831-4550.
• Contact Denise Ellen Rizzo at 830-4225 or drizzo@tracypress.com.
Based on some of your prior comments you seem to think the Tracy cops aren't all that tough and you believe you could take any of them out in a one on one tussle. CR posts his address as if it's some sort of challenge to someone. Here's where I'm a bit different than you two, I don't have a need to puff my chest on this website, nor am I dumb enough to expose myself to the possibility of some nut stopping by my house. FYI for both of you, there's always going to be someone a little badder and or crazier.
I have no idea why you and CR hold so much hate for the Tracy PD or why you feel the need to have the illusion of being the baddest cats in Tracy or where ever else and frankly I don't care. Keep on hating and bloating your ego's on this website, I'll just sit back and enjoy the show.
By the way, a puss? Comical, but hey, whatever makes you feel tough.
Y'all know me. I don't hide my name with some lame handle or my address.And yes, me and my family pack heat. We used to call the police when we saw burglaries and car thefts, but since Tracy PD takes an hour to show up, whats the point.
Yea I think Tracy Pd sucks goat utter. I would rather the City contract services with the San Joaquin sheriff for more quality service.
And believe me that pains me to say it, because the sheriff department is not worth their weight in dung, either.
But of course most of you Tracy N00bies from some other place don't even remember former sheriff Baxter Dunn, HAH!
But when the bad guys rob and have guns, they are no where to be found.
I wonder why?
Still butthurt about a speeding ticket? I've lived in this town since '97 and the only 2 times I was pulled over for speeding I was given warnings. Maybe it was your bad attitude that got you your ticket...
Crime happens and I am not aware of a town that has zero crime. I grew up in a small town in Florida and we had very small population of ethnic people. You guys fear Jesus and Desean eating at the El Tapatio , I fear Jimmy and skeeter eating at the Krystals.
Funny how you are mad you got a ticket when speeding is 100% your fault. Maybe if people like you wouldn't have tied up the cop with your negligence of the speed limit they could catch more criminals.
Cops have a hard job. Everyone loves a fireman, but the cops? Nope. Remember they get up every morning and go to a very high risk job. Hell look at the poor CHP guy who got killed on Hwy 680 the other day. They are out there doing their best and we as citizens should be more supportive.
There are also less of them out there due to budget cuts all over the state. We need to stop paying for stupid crap and make sure to have more police and emergency personnel on the roads. We also need to give these loser criminals harsher punishments. They aren't scared of going to prison. Its business as usual for them in there.
Glad no one was hurt. I hope TPD catches these losers.
Shelly, to answer your question of "Why do the cops get up every day".
The answer is simple, to enjoy a lavish salary and retirement pension, all on the tax payer dime. Complete with luxury retirement at 55 years old.
My old man is a NAM vet, he is over 60. He gets up and goes to work and does not complain. Tracy COPS are nothings compared to real men like my pops. Real men work in the private sector, and they save for their own retirement.
Also, so what if people have jobs with great retirement? Good for them. People choose jobs for many different reasons. You obviously have something against cops.
Is TPD the best? Nope. But I know some of them and the ones I know are good people. There are jerks/idiots in every sector. The first line of defense is and should be we, the citizens. But I do not hesitate to call the cops if I need them and I have never had a problem with them so far. I think they do pretty good for being under budgeted and understaffed. Now for the rest of the city leaders/council, I'm not so sure!