A judge in Santa Clara County released a second suspect connected to a 2017 gang-related shooting on recognizance, with no cash bail required, prompting alarm from prosecutors who say community safety may be at stake.
The case involves two men charged in the killing of a 21-year-old during a Sunnyvale nightclub parking-lot shooting. Detectives reopened the cold case in 2024 before filing charges; the judge subsequently set both suspects free on their own recognizance at separate hearings.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen described the decision as “dangerous,” stating that the choice effectively places two murder-accused individuals back into the community with minimal restrictions. He said he attempted to persuade the court to reconsider, citing the defendants’ alleged gang ties and violent histories.
Defense attorneys argued the accused have had no recent arrests, maintain strong family or employment ties, and pose little flight risk under supervised release conditions. The judge agreed, highlighting recent non‐activity and community connections in his decisions.