Fremont Homicide, January Shooting Believed Linked: Police

FREMONT, CA — Police investigators are looking into whether two recent shootings, one of which was fatal, might be related, according to Fremont police officials.

On Wednesday night, a man was killed in an attempted home invasion at the Mosaic Apartments in the 39000 block of Fremont Blvd.

In that shooting, a group of armed suspects tried to force their way into an apartment when a resident inside opened fire, striking one of the suspects, who died in the parking lot.

At least one of the people trying to get into the apartment also fired shots but no one inside was hit, according to police.

One of the residents, 23-year-old Brian Robles, was under investigation at the time by Fremont officers, who suspected Robles of being involved in a Jan. 24 drive-by shooting, during which he allegedly fired a single shot at or near a pedestrian at Grimmer Boulevard and Blacow Road, according to police.

The intended target of that shooting never reported the incident to police, but investigators were able to recover witness statements and video evidence.

Based on that evidence, officers identified a possible suspect in February and began investigating Robles, who lives at the same Mosaic Apartments unit where Wednesday's shooting occurred, police said.

After Wednesday's shooting, officers arrested Robles on suspicion of "willfully discharging a firearm in a grossly negligent manner" for the January shooting.

A different resident of the apartment is suspected of firing the shot that killed the home invasion suspect, police said.

Police are still looking for the suspects who tried to force their way into the unit and are investigating whether that incident was somehow in retaliation for the January shooting, among other possible motives, according to Fremont police spokeswoman Geneva Bosques.

Robles was booked at Santa Rita Jail and released after posting $50,000 in bail.

His first court date is scheduled for May 13.

Anyone with information about either shooting can contact the Investigations Unit at (510) 790-6900 or Major Crimes Task Force at (510) 790-6660.

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