Three Men Arrested After Late‑Night Gang‑Linked Shooting Shocks Santa Rosa Neighborhood

On the night of August 3, just after the clock struck 12:49 a.m., a seemingly ordinary bar parking lot on Barhman Avenue in Santa Rosa turned into a flashpoint of violence. What started as a heated exchange between two groups quickly spiraled, and someone drew a gun. The shot rang out, striking a bystander in the arm and sending shockwaves through the community.

Detectives from the Santa Rosa Police Department say the incident was not random—it was tied to rival street gangs that have been circling each other for months. "We’ve been monitoring tension between these factions," a police spokesperson told reporters, adding that the investigation was already in full swing when the shooting occurred.

Fast forward three weeks, and the department announced that three men have been taken into custody. First up is 39‑year‑old Edward Joseph Sciutto of Rohnert Park, identified by investigators as the shooter. He was pulled over on Highway 101 during a routine traffic stop and, after a quick search of his vehicle and later his home, officers uncovered a loaded 9 mm pistol, about half a pound of cocaine, and other paraphernalia linked to drug trafficking.

Sciutto now faces a stack of charges: attempted murder, participation in a criminal street gang, felon‑in‑possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance. He is being held without bail at the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility.

Later that same morning, detectives rounded up two more suspects. At roughly 8:50 a.m., 39‑year‑old Jose Delpalacio, a Santa Rosa resident, was arrested inside an administrative office on Corby Avenue. A sweep of his home turned up clothing and electronic devices that matched forensic evidence from the shooting scene, as well as cocaine and packaging materials used for illegal drugs.

Just a little over an hour later, 41‑year‑old Edgardo Tafoya from Windsor was stopped as he left his apartment. Like Delpalacio, police found clothing and electronics linking him to the gunfire, along with further drug‑related evidence. Both men were booked on assault with a firearm, active gang participation, conspiracy and, in Delpalacio’s case, possession of cocaine with intent to sell.

"The investigation is still active," the police department emphasized, noting that they have not yet named any additional suspects. The community, still rattled by the night’s events, is hopeful that these arrests will help calm the underlying gang rivalry that has plagued parts of Santa Rosa.

For now, the victim is recovering from the arm injury, and the three men await their day in court. The case serves as a stark reminder that even a brief argument can erupt into a deadly encounter when guns and gang affiliations intersect.