Tag Archive for: shooting

Photo of a Judge's gavel and a gun.

Defendants Sentenced for Two-Day Crime Spree Involving Seven Violent Incidents

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that two defendants convicted of multiple violent felony crimes that terrorized several victims over two days, have been sentenced to prison for their July 2023 crime spree.

Calvin Brown, 27, was convicted in August of four separate carjackings at gunpoint, assault with a semi-automatic firearm on eight victims at three separate locations, animal abuse, robbery, hit and run causing permanent serious injury, and other felony crimes. Rolaena Blunt, 20, pleaded guilty on August 22 to assault with a semi-automatic firearm on two victims, and a separate robbery and carjacking for her role in the crimes.

Brown was sentenced to 59 years, 8 months in state prison; Blunt was sentenced to 10 years, 8 months in state prison.

“These defendants terrorized multiple groups of victims during a disturbing and violent two-day crime spree that crisscrossed the county, and they are now being held accountable,” DA Stephan said. “From South Bay to North County, their crimes terrified residents and businesses, and led law enforcement on dangerous high-speed pursuits. I am grateful to San Diego Police and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department for their thorough investigations and to our prosecution team for expertly delivering justice in this case.”

The crime spree began at 3:00 a.m. on July 3, 2023, in downtown San Diego when Brown carjacked a BMW at gunpoint, then fled from police at speeds exceeding 90-miles-per-hour. Two days later, Brown and Blunt drove in the carjacked BMW to a home in Imperial Beach where Brown shot a woman and a dog.

Next, the two drove a home in San Diego where Brown shot at a woman after he vandalized her residence. They then drove to a business on El Cajon Boulevard where Blunt stole items and Brown shot at employees who tried to stop the theft. Fleeing the robbery, while driving over 140 miles-per-hour on Interstate 805, Brown collided with two vehicles, causing one to roll over multiple times inflicting serious injuries on a 12-year-old girl.

Brown and Blunt abandoned the stolen BMW, ran off the freeway, and carjacked a second car at gunpoint. They drove to Encinitas, where they abandoned the second car and carjacked a third car at gunpoint. Defendant Brown fired multiple times at the last carjacking victim while being pursued. San Diego County Sheriff deputies finally apprehended Brown and Blunt at a fitness center in Encinitas after citizens called police with their whereabouts.

Deputy District Attorney Jim Koerber from the DA’s Major Violators Team prosecuted this case.

Photo of a Judge's gavel and a gun.

Gang Member Sentenced in Shooting Death of Alpha Project Security Guard

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that defendant Johnny Hill, a member of a criminal street gang, was sentenced to 55 years to life plus an additional 26 years in prison in connection with a 2019 shooting that left one man dead and another injured.

Hill and co-defendant, Floyd Garrett, who will be sentenced on January 22, were found guilty by a jury of second-degree murder with a special allegation of personal gun use causing death, assault with a semi-automatic firearm, and being a felon in possession of a firearm on September 14.

“Our office will never stop fighting to make neighborhoods safe from violence,” DA Stephan said. “Ernest Buchanan Jr. was a beloved member of the Alpha Project family and his own family, and his life was mercilessly taken without justification. San Diego Police Department Detectives working with the DA Gangs Unit put this case together piece by piece in order to obtain justice for the victims and hold the offenders accountable. Although this sentence will not bring back Ernest Buchanan Jr., we hope his family finds a measure of justice in the jury verdict and sentence in this case.”

The Alpha Project homeless shelter, located at 1700 Imperial Ave., lies within territory claimed by ‘Crip’ criminal street gang sets and is an area primarily used for gang related drug sales and acts of violence. Over the past two years, San Diego Police have responded to 6,187 calls involving violence: notably, seven homicides, 298 robberies, 1,280 assaults and 1,800 violent disturbances.

In December 2019, Buchanan Jr., and Dorian Cunningham were security guards for the Alpha Project homeless shelter at 1700 Imperial Ave. On the night of the shooting, the men left in Buchanan’s truck to get a snack during their break. In the meantime, the defendants, members of a criminal street gang, arrived in the area in a white sedan. The City of San Diego’s Environmental Street Cameras and the Alpha Project’s surveillance system captured the defendants as they walked together to a dark alcove across from the shelter and waited. When the victims returned and parked their car, Cunningham walked into the administration trailer and Buchanan followed shortly after walking across Imperial Ave. Together, the defendants fired multiple rounds at Buchanan, and he died shortly thereafter at the hospital. Cunningham was grazed in the leg and did not sustain life threatening injuries. After the shooting, the defendants fled from downtown only six minutes after arriving.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Matthew Carberry with the support of his team.