A 16-year-old boy died Thursday after being gunned down in a gang-related attack near his home in east San Jose the night before. The boy, identified by police as Manuel Urzoua, was shot on the 1600 block of Virginia Street Wednesday.
The teen's death marks the city's 25th homicide of 2013.
Even before the teenager died, his shooting was the catalyst for a special meeting at police headquarters.
This is the second time in as many weeks the police chief has called such a meeting as police focus on weekend preparations for possible retaliation.
Among those summoned to the chief’s office was Mario Maciel who is the director of the mayor's gang prevention task force.
Maciel said the command staff is working on tactics for the weekend.
Sources told NBC Bay Area that the Virginia Street shooting victim was affiliated with the Norteno gang and the shooters were Sureno gang members.
Local
Police said they have no suspects.
While the chief and his command staff strategize on a plan, one expert said they're wasting their time.
“They're spinning their wheels because they're not out there promoting peace," said former gang member Robert Rios.
Rios is a former prison gang member who now volunteers his time on the streets trying to promote that peace between gang members.
Rios says older Sureno gang members are moving into San Jose and calling the shots.
“They're buying the drugs and buying the weapons and they're pushing. A lot of the homicides are happening are Surenos on Nortenos," Rios said.
So police will be on high alert this weekend, hoping their plan will help prevent another shooting.
