2nd teen arrested in Tulare homicide, police say

TULARE, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A second juvenile has been arrested in connection with the homicide of a man in Tulare earlier this month, the Tulare Police Department said.

Officers say they arrested the second suspect in connection with the homicide of 31-year-old Solomon Ponce. The police department’s SWAT team served a high-risk search warrant on the 300 block of N. A St. on Friday at 11:48 a.m.

Police say officers contacted the suspect, a 17-year-old male, during a traffic stop and arrested him.

The police department says they received a call regarding shots heard in the area of West San Joaquin Avenue and North California Street in Tulare on Feb. 7 at around 10:50 p.m. Upon arrival, officers located several casings in the roadway; they also located Ponce nearby, suffering from a gunshot wound.

Ponce was transported to a local hospital, where investigators say he succumbed to his injuries. While on the scene, officers say they received another call regarding a 39-year-old man who self-transported to the hospital, suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Detectives then determined that the man was on the scene at the time of the shooting.

Throughout the investigation, detectives say they learned there was a physical altercation between Ponce and several other males in the area of W. San Joaquin Avenue and N. California Street. After a physical altercation, one of the suspects fired shots at Ponce.

Investigators say the first suspect, a 17-year-old male, was then arrested in connection with the shooting. Detectives believe the motive for the shooting is gang-related.

This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Eric Wilson at 559-685-2300 x 2157.