HomeMy WebLinkAboutOIS2023-0003 Supplemental Canvass Report - Kris Cover_RedactedOrange County District Attorney
Bureau of Investigation
300 N. Flower Street, Santa Ana CA, 92703
(714) 834-3600
Special Assignment Supplemental Report
Case No.
23-001104
Report No.
SPL23-0006
Incident Activity Summary:
Report Title:CANVASS
Activity Date/Time:04/07/2023 18:41
Location Activity Occurred:523 South Rosewood Avenue, Santa Ana
Officer Involved:Ronald Sandoval
Involvement:LEO
Description:Male, Hispanic, Hispanic
Contact Info:Work: (714) 245-8436
Employer:City of Santa Ana: 60 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Person:
Involvement:
DOB:
Age:
Address/Resides:
Address Note:Single Family Residence
Contact Info:Cell:
Person:
Involvement:
DOB:
Age:61
Address/Resides:
Address Note:Single Family Residence
Contact Info:Cell:
OCDA 23-001104.012 Report by Cover, Kris 401 Page 1 of 5
Person:
Involvement:
DOB:
Age:
Identification:Driver License:
Address/Resides:
Contact Info:Cell:
Person:
Involvement:
DOB:
Address/Resides:
Person:
Involvement:
Address/Resides:
Narrative:
On Friday, April 7, 2023, at approximately 1930 hours, Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Investigator STAN
BERRY contacted me and requested I respond to 523 South Rosewood Avenue, in the city of Santa Ana, regarding
an officer-involved shooting involving a subject, later identified as MARVIN RICARDO MELGARJO. Upon arrival, I
met with OCDA Supervising Investigator STAN BERRY. On April 7, 2023, at 2131 hours, Santa Ana Police
Department (SAPD) Sergeants MATT WHARTON and LUIS BARRAGAN conducted the briefing.
Following the briefing, Supervising Investigator BERRY requested that I partner with Santa Ana Police Department
Detective RONALD SANDOVAL to conduct witness interviews. The interviews were later downloaded into the
Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS). The following is a summary of the digitally recorded canvass
interviews. It is not verbatim or necessarily in order of the conversations but organized for clarity. Refer to the audio
recording for exact quotes, comments and statements.
South Rosewood Street, Santa Ana, CA 92703
On April 7, 2023 at approximately 2320 hours, SAPD Detective SANDOVAL and I interviewed and her
parents at their residence. ANABEL'S parents, ARACELI and ARMANDO, did not speak fluent English and
served as a translator during the interview.
explained she lives at the residence with her family including her parents, her brother
and her 14- year old niece,
Between 1830 and 1845 hours, was in her bedroom while and were at the
kitchen table eating when they heard what sounded like several shots nearby. After hearing the shots,
walked to the dining room and asked her parents about the noise they had just heard. both
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believed the sound they heard was fireworks, however they were told by . the noise was gunshots.
In describing the noise, the family collectively recalled there being approximately six shots followed by approximately
eight more. Neither , looked outside after hearing the shots.
L explained although her 14-year-old niece, was also in the residence at the time of the
gunshots, she did not believe she heard anything because she was asleep. This was confirmed when was
awakened by her father after the incident to ask why police were at the door of the residence. clarified that
not at the residence at the time of the incident but received a Ring security system activation on
his cell phone app after observing police officers at the front door of the residence. After receiving the notification, he
telephoned to inquire. walked into the bedroom to ask what was going on after
explaining the call from her father. HAILEY was completely unaware of the situation. returned to her room
and fell back asleep shortly afterwards. Due to the late hour and the information provided to me by , I did
not interview
The GIL family explained that although they have a Ring security system, it does not record.
South Rosewood Street, Santa Ana, CA 92703
On April 8, 2023 at approximately 0005 hours, Detective SANDOVAL and I briefly interviewed on
the doorstep of her residence. stated she was preparing dinner at approximately 1730 hours, when she
saw the flashing lights of police vehicles through the front window of her home. When she approached the window
and looked outside, she saw numerous police officers in the area. explained she did not hear any noises
prior to seeing the flashing lights and after seeing them and the police officers in the neighborhood, she made it a
point to stay inside her home.
South Rosewood Street, Santa Ana, CA 92703
On April 8. 2023 at approximately 0046 hours, Detective SANDOVAL and I interviewed the occupants of 422 South
Rosewood Street. Not all of the parties who were interviewed at this residence resided there. There were several
individuals who were visiting at the time of the incident. The interview with the group occurred in the living room of
the residence.
The group, with the exception of , was having dinner in the dining room
at about 1730 hours when they heard approximately ten shots followed by five or six more shots several minutes
later. explained after they heard the first group of shots, several members of the group got up from the
table, went to the front window, and looked outside. N explained his wife cautioned the group not to go
outside and the group took her advice. explained they heard several more shots while they were at the front
door.
OCDA 23-001104.012 Report by Cover, Kris 401 Page 4 of 5
OCDA Personnel:Cover, Kris 401
Involvement:Reporting 5/2/2023
OCDA Personnel:Berry, Stan 235
Involvement:Approving 6/7/2023
related when he looked outside through the window again, he saw a male subject dressed in all black
running north on South Rosewood Street holding the right sight of his abdomen. described the subject
looking as though he was struggling as he ran. described the male subject was described as being
approximately 4'7, "skinny," wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with black pants. He was not able to provide any
further description on the male subject but added that when he saw the subject running north, past his residence,
the male subject was not being followed by anyone.
It was at this time the group heard sirens from police vehicles and saw numerous police vehicles in front of the
residence. The group decided to exit the residence and walk to the end of the driveway. The group described
observing what I know from my training and experience to be a felony car stop. They described numerous police
vehicles with their overhead lights activated parked behind a black SUV with officers standing near the police
vehicles and additional officers in the area providing traffic control. The officers conducting the felony vehicle stop
were standing with their firearms pointed north, ordering the occupants of the black SUV out of the vehicle. Initially,
the officers' voices were difficult to hear, but as the felony car stop continued, the officers' voices became louder.
believed the officers ' voices became louder because they were amplified through the use of a
microphone. also described hearing SAPD officers threaten to use a K-9 unit if the occupants of the
vehicle did not exit. heard this portion of the felony vehicle stop well and believed the officer making
the announcements was using a microphone.
explained how she returned to the inside of the residence to use the restroom and upon returning
to the front of the residence how an officer arrived shortly afterwards. showed the officers a
metal fragment she had recovered from the residence. described an officer speaking with
and the circumstances related to the metal fragment.
also described a Caucasian male and a Hispanic female officer arriving at the residence and
speaking with in more detail about the metal fragment she had located. After speaking with
her, they told the group they would return, but never did.
related how additional SAPD personnel arrived at the residence to assist in the investigation.
observed personnel take possession of the fragment then collected swabs of DNA before leaving the
residence.
At the conclusion of the interview, Detective SANDOVAL spoke with the group about obtaining a clip of the
surveillance footage from their residential security cameras.
Detective SANDOVAL and I provided our contact information to the group and left the residence.
Narrative By: Cover, Kristina #401 Audio Recorded : N/A
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