On March 4, 2018 at approximately 10:18 p.m., Los Banos officers responded to the 200 block of F Street after receiving multiple reports of shots fired. As officer Cole was responding to the call, he saw two men who appeared to be avoiding the officer.
Dre Allen West
Officers Cole, Bender and Neal stopped the pair and identified them as Dre West, 21 and Aaron Gomez, 20 of Dos Palos. Gomez was carrying a loaded .357 Magnum revolver in his waistband. Officers learned Gomez had fired the weapon 6 times, which prompted the calls from residents and the response of officers. Gomez had several rounds of ammunition in his pockets.
The officers noted Gomez also matched the description of the suspect in an armed robbery reported one hour earlier. In that case, the victim was reportedly robbed at gun point and his cell phone taken.
Aaron Gomez
Gomez was arrested and charged with robbery, carrying a loaded firearm in public and willful negligent discharge of a firearm. Gomez remains in custody at the Los Banos Police Department Jail Facility in lieu of $180,000.00 bail. West was arrested and charged with public intoxication and has since been released.
Gomez was in possession of several stacks of cash totaling a sum of over $800.00. There was an event held at the Merced County Fairgrounds in Los Banos the evening of March 4th. Detectives believe there may be additional unreported robberies or robbery victims out there. If you or someone you know was the victim of a robbery on March 4, 2018, please contact the Los Banos Police Department at (209) 827-7070.
To leave an anonymous crime tip call (209) 827-7070, ext. 288. If you have access to a computer and the internet you can also leave an anonymous tip at the Police Department’s web page at www.losbanos.org. At the bottom of the contact page simply click on the “report graffiti and other crime” link or contact the Merced Area Crime Stoppers by telephone at 1-855-725-2420, or at www.mercedareacrimestoppers.org