On March 7, Ivan was fatally shot in front of a home on Willow Street near Spencer Avenue in North Willow Glen. As Ivan sat on the porch, a group of males walked by and words were exchanged, according to San Jose Police Department Sgt. Steve Dixon.

"Someone didn't like what was said and pulled out a gun," Dixon said. "The individual shot Ivan multiple times."

Although a number of individuals involved were in the incident, on March 8, the San Jose Police Department arrested a 16-year-old juvenile male in connection with the shooting. The individual--whose name is being withheld because he is under 18--was arraigned on March 10 on one count of murder with personal use of a firearm and gang enhancement.

"We knew that the crime was gang related and the suspects were gang members," Dixon said.

He also said that Ivan had previously belonged to a gang in East San Jose but had moved to Willow Glen to escape organized crime. "He was working very hard to get out of the gang," said Dixon, according to information the police gathered during the investigation.

According to San Jose Police Department Lt. Mike Ross, who spoke about the incident at a Willow Glen Neighborhood Association meeting on March 9, about 10 people were in the house when the shooting occurred.

Willow Glen Neighborhood Association Vice President Ed Rast, who lives nearby, said police officers responded promptly to the situation and conducted a thorough investigation.

"They knocked on doors to let residents know what was going on and make sure everyone was safe," Rast said.

According to Dixon, the police stopped a vehicle on the 300 block of Josefa Street that matched witnesses' descriptions and made an arrest. Dixon added that there were three other individuals in the car with the juvenile at the time of the arrest. But those individuals were not taken into custody.

Ross also told residents at the association meeting that while gang activity is relatively infrequent in Willow Glen, gang-related crimes do occur. Ross said a group known as the Horseshoe is a prominent gang in the North Willow Glen area around the Gardner neighborhood.

He told residents that since the incident officers have been visiting community centers such as Gardner and Alma to "get the word on the street," hoping to garner additional information about gang-related activities.

He added that many community centers already have gang-prevention and intervention services in place.

Ross also said that the police department relies on citizens to help combat crime. "We need your eyes and ears to let us know if you see or hear anything."

In some Willow Glen neighborhoods, residents have established neighborhood watches to help fight crime.

"It has definitely been a positive experience," said Helen Solinski, who helped organize a watch group in her area. "Everyone understands that we are keeping an eye out for one another."

The San Jose Police Department Crime Prevention Unit helps citizens organize a neighborhood watch. The crime prevention specialist who provides these services can schedule a meeting date with any group of residents.

For more information, contact the San Jose Police Department Crime Prevention Unit at 408.277.4133.