Saturday afternoon, Oct. 5, 2024, Antioch Police Officer Loroño was conducting proactive patrol in a location known for stolen vehicles. He spotted an occupied suspicious vehicle. As Officer Loroño prepared to make contact, the suspect exited the vehicle and began walking away. Officer Loroño quickly confirmed the vehicle was stolen and pursued the suspect on foot when he refused to comply and fled while manipulating a satchel across his chest.
After a brief chase through multiple yards, community members called in to report the suspect’s direction, allowing dispatch to establish an effective perimeter. The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office Helicopter responded to assist, and Officer Loroño, who recognized the suspect from a previous encounter, continued coordinating the search.
A vigilant resident reported the suspect had discarded his satchel in a backyard. Officer Loroño recovered it, finding a loaded .45 caliber handgun inside. Meanwhile, Officer Marques and K-9 Cato joined the search. Cato successfully tracked the suspect to a front yard, where he was found hiding in a bush and surrendered to K-9 Cato.
Further investigation of the stolen vehicle uncovered additional .45 ammunition. The suspect, who was found to be on active probation, was safely apprehended and booked into county jail.
Outstanding teamwork and collaboration with our community made this arrest possible!
APD officers put their aerial drone up and were able to determine that a juvenile mountain lion (approximately the same size as the neighbor’s adult Rottweiler) was the cause of the noise coming from behind the home.
We have been getting an increased number of reports over the last month and it appears there may be at least two mountain lions being seen more frequently in the following residential areas;
Mountain lion attacks are uncommon and close encounters are usually rare in our area, but it is not unheard of to have mountain lion sightings in the vicinity of trails, easements or the open spaces throughout our City.
Chickens, cats and other pets will attract a big cat to your yard. Water sources that attract wildlife also attract the big kitties.
Please be vigilant.
Bring your pets in at night. Remove food that attracts community cats and wildlife, ensure trash and fallen fruits, etc. are picked up and not attracting critters.
If you experience an attack by a mountain lion, please call 911.
On Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, Antioch Police announced the arrest of one suspect in the shooting of two. Police investigated the shooting scene around a vehicle in the parking lot next to the Rite Aid store on W. 18th Street near A Street Sunday morning, Sept. 22, 2024. Photo courtesy of Mike Burkholder, ContraCosta.news
Involved in a physical altercation with male victim weeks before incident considered an attempted homicide
By Sergeant B. Whitaker #6155, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau
As previously reported, on September 22nd officers responded to a shooting at 20 E. 18th Street, to the rear of Rite Aid. When officers arrived, they located two gunshot wound victims in the parking lot. Officers rendered first aid until ConFire paramedics arrived. The female victim was transported to a local hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The male victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Both victims are expected to survive.
The Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau, consisting of Crime Scene Investigators and detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit took over the investigation.
During the investigation it was determined the male victim and suspect had been involved in a physical altercation weeks before the shooting. On September 26th the Violent Crimes Unit took the suspect into custody. The suspect, identified as Bobby Joe Grigsby, Jr. (age 44), was transported to county jail and is pending charges.
Any tips or other information can be directed to Antioch Police Detective Ibañez at (925) 779-6890 or by email ribanez@antiochca.gov.
According to localcrimenews.com, Grigsby is Black, lives in Antioch and was previously arrested on Aug. 2, 2017, by the Concord Police for a warrants or holds only.
According to Investigations Lieutenant Desmond Bittner, the Sunday morning shooting is not connected to the rash of 13 other shootings in Antioch this month.
Both Ibañez and Interim Chief Brian Addington were asked for details about the suspect and if that person was one of two described by dispatch seen leaving the scene of the shooting. But they did not respond prior to publication time. Please check back later for updates.
Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe was joined by Antioch Police Captain Joe Vigil inside City Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, for a press conference about the spate of 14 shootings in Antioch so far in September. Source: KTVU FOX2 video screenshot.
Says he’ll show up at suspects’ sentencing hearings, but no arrests have yet been made
“We suspect there are some gang undertones. Our detectives are still trying to flush that out to see how much of that is accurate.” – Antioch Police Captain Joe Vigil
“There’s a difference between turf wars and gang wars and…I think it’s turf.” – District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker
“We haven’t had any more shootings,” since additional patrols began in the Sycamore are last Friday – Interim Police Chief Brian Addington.
“We don’t need to put a Band-Aid on the issue. We need to fix it…We need to find solutions together. Not individually…” – District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock
By Allen D. Payton
Without any arrests yet of suspects in the 14 shootings that have plagued the Antioch community this month, Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe held a press conference on Wednesday repeating much of what he said in a recorded announcement, Sunday on his official Instagram account, that they’re being investigated as gang-related. That’s in spite of Antioch Police leaders saying on Monday they don’t know for sure the shootings are gang-related, they might be and four of the shootings are unrelated to the first shooting on Sept. 3rd that resulted in the death of 20-year-old Elijah Scales two days later while in the hospital.
However, unlike Sunday’s announcement in which the mayor can be seen standing alone behind a podium inside the Council Chambers, Antioch Police Captain Joe Vigil joined him on Wednesday to answer questions from the media. But he did not provide any prepared remarks.
During the press conference, Hernandez-Thorpe said, “I’m angry. Residents are angry and residents are demanding answers. Regardless of where you live in this city, if you live in the hills or you live in Sycamore, everybody in this community deserves peace and tranquility.”
However, again refuting the mayor’s claim that the shootings are being investigated as gang-related, Vigil would only say, “We suspect there are some gang undertones. Our detectives are still trying to flush that out to see how much of that is accurate.”
Hernandez-Thorpe repeated some of what he said on Sunday, that he wants more patrols in the Sycamore corridor, which Interim Police Chief Brian Addington said on Monday had already begun last Friday. The mayor also said he wanted support from partner agencies in the region and will push for more funding, specifically $100,000 in police overtime to cover the costs for help from one of those agencies that he didn’t name, and offered one new proposal, a permit parking program in the Sycamore area to reduce drug activity there.
About the outside assistance Hernandez-Thorpe said, “One agency has taken us up on that offer. We’re excited. I’m not prepared to announce what agency it is. But we will be working to finalize those details.”
Earlier on Wednesday Addington said he would not attend the press conference as he would be at the Contra Costa County Chiefs meeting at the same time. Vigil reiterated that saying, “The chief is at the county chiefs meeting, right now echoing that sentiment to the other county chiefs for assistance to address this regional problem.”
Chief Says Response, Including Additional Patrols Appears to Be Working
Addington also earlier shared some good news on the matter saying that the response including the additional patrols appears to be working and, “we haven’t had any more shootings.” Vigil pegged the timeframe for the calm at 72 hours.
The tough-talking mayor, who is running for re-election in November, also said, “Let me speak very clear to the people who have been wreaking havoc on our community. We are going to find you. We are going to hold you accountable, and you will pay the price for what you have done. And the day you find yourself in court I will be right there at your sentencing hearing to ensure they lock you up and put you away for a long time.”
However, there was no talk this time nor during his Sunday announcement attributing the cause of the shootings to the lack of jobs, as Hernandez-Thorpe stated in a KTVU FOX2 news interview on Sept. 17th.
Although the investigations have not yet resulted in any arrests Vigil said, “There is a lot of information out there that they’re compiling, putting together, trying to get cases ready to present to the D.A. to move forward with arrests and accountability.”
In an interview by ABC7 News following the press conference, District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker who represents the Sycamore area also refuted the mayor’s claim that the shootings are gang-related. She said, “There’s a difference between turf wars and gang wars and what I think we’re dealing with, here in the city of Antioch, right now is not, is not, I think it’s turf” reiterating what Chief Addington stated on Monday.
“You have this level of conflict because there are people who are trying to maintain control of their territory,” she continued. “And I think it’s unfortunate that the City of Antioch didn’t address these issues years ago.”
In a separate interview by KTVU FOX2 District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock said, “We need to fix the problem. We don’t need to put a Band-Aid on the issue. We need to fix it and find a way to keep that area safe. We need to find solutions together. Not individually, together and we need to work with the community in that area.”
On Monday, and Investigations Lieutenant Desmond Bittner answered questions of two media sources, including the Herald in which he shared more details about the shootings and that four of the five most recent shootings were unrelated to the others in the Sycamore corridor. (See related article and Facebook Live video)
Stolen items from the Antioch Target store recovered by police. Photo: APD
After employee was rammed with shopping cart
By Antioch Police Department
Antioch Officers were dispatched to Target on Lone Tree Way for a reported theft. When a Target employee tried to intervene, one of the suspects rammed the employee with a shopping cart and threatened them, turning this simple theft into a robbery. Three suspects—one male and two females—fled the scene in a vehicle with the stolen merchandise.
Thanks to quick coordination with the Brentwood Police Department, the suspect vehicle was located at a Safeway in Brentwood, where another robbery had just occurred. Working with the victims in this case, three of the four suspects were positively identified, and the stolen property was returned to Target.
The suspects were booked at Martinez Detention Facility for robbery.
The sideshow driver was stopped by Antioch Police Officers, cited, arrested and his car towed and impounded for 30 days. Photos: APD
Before new ordinance banning organizers, advertisers and spectators, goes into effect at end of August
By Antioch Police Department
Reckless Driving Arrest and 30-Day Impound
On Wednesday night, July 31, 2024, Officers Mayorga and Tanguma took decisive action against dangerous sideshow activity in our community. They observed a vehicle doing donuts and driving on the wrong side of the road at East 18th Street and Evergreen Drive, putting everyone at risk. The driver was promptly stopped on Sunset Drive near Hillcrest Avenue, arrested for reckless driving, and the vehicle has been impounded for 30 days.
We are committed to keeping our streets safe and free from illegal activities that endanger lives. Reckless driving is not only illegal but can have serious consequences.
Thank you to Officers Tanguma and Mayorga for their swift response and dedication to public safety! Together, we can make Antioch safer for all!
The new ordinance adopted by the Antioch City Council last month which also bans organizers, advertisers and spectators, will go into effect at the end of August giving police another tool to prevent them in Antioch. (See related articles here and here)
An Antioch Police vehicle attemps to disable the stolen pickup on Wednesday afternoon, July 31, 2024. Screenshots of video posted on Next Door. (Source chose to remain anonymous)
By Allen D. Payton
Antioch Police arrested a suspected double car thief Wednesday afternoon while the man first on foot, then during a slow chase near Lake Alhambra.
According to Lt. Matt Koch, “Officers were following up with an occupied stolen vehicle in the 400 block of Grangnelli Avenue. Officers went to make contact with the 36-year-old driver, he bailed, fled on foot and ran over to North Lake Drive where he got into another pickup truck.
“As officers were contacting him in the truck he tried to flee from officers, again. Ultimately a marked police car tried to disable the pickup truck and the driver took the officers on a slow-speed chase,” Koch continued. “The suspect was ultimately apprehended on Plymouth Lane, taken into custody and later booked into county jail.”
By Sergeant Rob Green #3639, Antioch Police Traffic Unit
On July 27, 2024, at approximately 7:43 PM, Antioch Police Officers responded to a report of a vehicle collision between a motorcycle and a SUV in front of Bev Box at 907 W. 10th Street. Officers found the 32-year-old male (Brentwood resident) motorcyclist on the ground and unresponsive. Officers performed lifesaving aid and the motorcyclist was transported to an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Traffic Accident Investigators took over the investigation and determined from witness statements and from video collected at the scene that speed was a contributing factor to the crash. This case is in the preliminary stages and the names of the parties involved are not being released at this time.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441 or Traffic Collision Investigator Sergeant Green at 925-779-6864, email rgreen@antiochca.gov. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.
