In a bizarre convergence of events, a man whose family reported the abduction of their puppy Monday (Sept. 13) has been arrested by Mountain View Police Department officers in connection with a shooting that injured two people in a city park days later.
Suspect Reynaldo Medina, 19, was arrested Thursday, and he is currently facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon and assault with a firearm, according to a MVPD release. Rambo, a 3-month-old Siberian husky puppy belonging to Medina’s 9-year-old brother, has been located, is safe and is now back with his family.
On Monday, Rambo took advantage of an ajar door to venture outside his apartment, located on the 300 block of Escuela Avenue. While searching for Rambo, Medina’s brother and his cousin encountered a stranger holding the dog.
“My little brother and my little cousin ran up to the car, and they tried to talk to the guy, and he just put up the window and drove off,” Medina told the Town Crier during an interview Tuesday.
Medina’s aunt described the man as likely in his 30s, he said. The man had curly hair and facial acne but no facial hair. He wore a blue shirt and may have driven a blue/gray Nissan sedan.
The shooting
At approximately 1 p.m. Wednesday, officers responded to reports of gunshots near the Rengstorff Park basketball courts, the MVPD release stated. Two people suffered minor injuries during the incident, and the shooter fled.
“A preliminary investigation suggests Medina was at the park at the time of the shooting potentially looking for Rambo,” according to the release. “We are continuing to investigate a motive as to why he opened fire.”
Later that day, an employee of a Redwood City restaurant encountered Rambo in the restaurant and recognized the dog from news reports about his disappearance, the release stated. The employee contacted the Redwood City Police Department, and that agency contacted MVPD officers, who collected the pup.
Rambo’s theft is still under investigation, MVPD spokesperson Katie Nelson said.
The Town Crier spoke with Juana Medina, mother of Reynaldo and his 9-year-old brother, through a family friend, Susana Santi, Friday. Santi provided English-Spanish translation.
The women did not mention Reynaldo Medina’s arrest, but they said Rambo was visibly excited when reunited with his family Thursday.
“He went on top of them and everyone was very happy,” Santi said.
