SLO County police arrest 2 adults, 3 minors in gang-related robbery, shoe theft
The Atascadero Police Department arrested two 18-year-olds and three juveniles on Thursday for alleged involvement in a gang-related assault and robbery in August that resulted in one person losing their shoes.
At about 1:40 a.m. on Aug. 20, officers watching surveillance cameras saw a fight break out on the Centennial Bridge. When officers arrived on the scene, many of the suspects fled, police said.
An investigation revealed that the incident involved “assault with a deadly weapon (a bottle) and the forcible theft of a pair of shoes,” the Atascadero Police Department news release said.
“Through video evidence and follow-up investigation, detectives identified the altercation as gang-related and linked multiple participants to Atascadero,” the news release said.
On Thursday, police submitted three search warrants in Arroyo Grande, Nipomo and Santa Maria, and they arrested five people.
Officers arrested Arroyo Grande resident Vaughn Elias Whipple, 18, for alleged conspiracy and assault with a deadly weapon likely to cause great bodily injury, police said.
Nipomo resident Kira Kaitlyn Westfall, 18, was arrested for alleged conspiracy.
Police also arrested a 14-year-old and two 16-year-olds suspected of being involved in the case.
“During the search warrant operations, detectives recovered gang-related evidence and other items directly linked to the investigation,” the news release said.
Officers previously arrested two other juveniles suspected of being involved in the incident, and a third person after “a separate gang-related fight that occurred on the Atascadero High School campus,” the news release said.
