Bat attack update

RPD has named a suspect...

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Police look to arrest boy, 15, in bat attack
RICHMOND: Motive still unclear in brutal beating, detectives say

By Karl Fischer
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

Police issued an arrest warrant for a 15-year-old boy Wednesday on suspicion of attempted murder in Monday's baseball bat attack that critically wounded another teen.

The 16-year-old victim, whose name detectives withheld for safety reasons, remained in critical condition at Stanford University Medical Center.

The victim and Manuel Alanis, the suspect, were hanging out with several other teens Monday in a garage on the 2300 block of Emeric Avenue about 5 p.m. when Alanis took up the bat and hit the victim at least twice in the head, police Detective Mike Rood said.

Witnesses said the attack was completely unprovoked. Police have not yet determined the motive, he added.

"We believe this suspect is very dangerous. The attack was unprovoked, and we consider this extremely alarming behavior," Rood said.

Alanis fled after the attack, police said. An ambulance took the victim to Doctors Medical Center in San Pablo, where his condition was deemed dire enough to call for a helicopter to take him to Stanford.

Alanis is a native of Mexico who moved to the United States last year, police said. He came to Richmond about six months ago and lived about a block from where the attack took place. The victim also lived in the neighborhood.

Police say Alanis previously lived in Chicago and may try to return there or to Mexico.

Reach Karl Fischer at 510-262-2728 or kfischer@cctimes.com.

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The Tazer would like to point out three things:

1) The suspect is a juvenile, but this is still a very serious and dangerous crime. He needs to be caught.

2) Karl Fischer and/or RPD sound like they're beating around the bush with the suspect's immigration status: "Alanis is a native of Mexico who moved to the United States last year, police said." Though we are sticklers for law and order, the Tazer won't weight in on the immigration debate. However, we ARE sticklers for the truth and it DOES matter, so is Alanis here illegally or not?

3) This attack didn't involve a firearm, so the Tazer wonders if Richmond would be better served by a citywide "crime free zone" rather than a "[thing] free zone."