VISTA (CNS) - A man who was 17 when he took part in a gang-related retaliation shooting at an Oceanside park that killed two teenagers and left two others wounded was sentenced Tuesday to 100 years to life in state prison.
Kevin Brizuela, now 21, was convicted in February of first-degree murder and premeditated attempted murder. A special circumstance allegation of multiple murders was found to be true.
Brizuela was tried as an adult in the March 13, 2013, shooting that killed 13-year-old Melanie Virgen and her 15-year-old friend, Edgar Sanchez at Libby Lake Park.
The victims had no gang ties and were shot about 9 p.m. as they sat on a couch near a makeshift memorial for 14-year-old Sandra Salgado and her 16-year-old boyfriend, Fernando Solano, who were killed there two years earlier.
In addition to Brizuela, three other gang members were convicted in the murders.
Martin Melendrez, 25, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted murder and was sentenced to 40 years to life behind bars.
Santo Diaz, 22, was acquitted of first-degree murder then pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 39 years in prison.
Michael Zurita, 23, pleaded guilty to assault with a semiautomatic weapon and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
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