18-year-old hoods accused of gunpoint robbery in Mission caught thanks to injured victim’s dogged pursuit
A pair of alleged Norteño gang members accused of robbing a man at gunpoint and knifepoint, who were caught when the enterprising victim trailed his attackers through San Francisco’s Mission district and then flagged down an SFPD patrol who nabbed them, will appear in court today for a preliminary hearing.
Prosecutors say Christopher Navarro-Mejia and Lexington Crosman, both 18, waylaid their victim at 11:00pm on October 9 one block from 16th and Mission BART station. A juvenile accomplice joined in the brazen attack.
The juvenile hood pointed a .45 caliber Glock 30 at the victim while Navarro-Mejia held a knife against his chest. Crosman took the man’s backpack, money, cellphone and hat, after which the juvenile pistol-whipped him for good measure.
“While fleeing with the victim’s property,” wrote assistant district attorney Angela Roze in a motion to detain, “the three suspects yelled ‘El Norte manda acui’ which means ‘The North rules here.’”
But the bungling gangsters – who hadn’t reckoned on the brave victim following them as they made their escape – were promptly caught and identified in a police ‘cold show’. Officers found a gun on Crosman and a knife on Navarro-Mejia who was, it transpired, also wearing the victim’s stolen hat.
The defendants earlier pleaded not guilty to robbery and firearms charges. At that hearing Judge Harry Dorfman concluded the pair were too great a danger to public safety to release.
Navarro-Mejia and Crosman will appear today in Department 11 at San Francisco’s Hall of Justice for a hearing at which a judge will decide whether there is sufficient evidence to allow the case to proceed.
The case continues.
Please support our work by using this Paypal link
To be notified of new stories enter your email address here or follow us on X