OCEANSIDE — Daniel Ramos and Elias Ramos, both 20, have been charged with the murder of 15-year-old Annabelle Flores, attempted murder and participating in a gang felony.
The two Oceanside men are documented members of the Center Street gang. They were booked on charges Oct. 28, while in jail on probation violations. They share a last name, but are not related.
The shooting occurred two months earlier, on the morning of Sept. 3, at Joe Balderrama Park in the Eastside neighborhood.
Annabelle and a friend were on the park play structure when shots were fired at them.
Annabelle sustained a gunshot wound. When police arrived she was pronounced dead on scene.
Her friend was able to flee and survive.
Police know there was at least one shooter. It could not be confirmed if additional suspects are being sought.
Sgt. Rick Favela said the park is rival gang territory, and the suspects were likely looking for a Posole gang member to shoot or kill.
“They happened to come across Annabelle and her companion, Annabelle was not specifically targeted,” Favela said. “She was an innocent in her own park and neighborhood.”
Annabelle lived in the Eastside neighborhood and often spent time at the park.
It has not been determined if she had gang affiliations.
Favela said that morning she was hanging out and being a kid.
“It was her favorite place to hang out, she frequented the park a lot,” Favela said. “Annabelle was 15 years old, but could definitely take care of herself. She felt very comfortable with a lot of people from neighborhood, she knew them all.”
Annabelle’s extended family lives in the Eastside neighborhood. She would stay with different relatives for stretches of time.
Her grandfather, Robert Espinosa, thanked Oceanside police for solving the murder during Nov. 6. City Council meeting public comments. He also asked for more programs to support low-income families, and bring about solutions and change.
Espinosa also spoke at the neighborhood town hall meeting on Oct. 22, and asked neighbors to come together as a community to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
Police have added additional resources, creative community protection and a deployment plan to operations following the shooting.
Daniel Ramos and Elias Ramos were arraigned last week at the Vista courthouse.
A conference is scheduled for Nov. 14. It will be followed by a preliminary hearing to determine whether the case will be tried by a jury, tentatively scheduled for Nov. 17.
