Napa Shootings: 2 Hospitalized; Suspect's Motive Investigated

NAPA, CA — UPDATED 7:03 p.m. Jan. 17: Napa police identified the suspect in two brazen shootings Wednesday morning in the city as Nicholas Angelo Zazzarin0, 28, of Napa and Central Valley. A 23-year-old Napa man was shot in the abdomen outside Starbucks, 1200 Lincoln Ave., at about 8:22 a.m. As police were investigating that shooting, a second man, this time a 66-year-old, was shot in the chest at about 9:53 a.m. in the 3300 block of MacBeth Street.

Napa police Capt. Pat Manzer said officers caught up with Zazzarino after a resident on Baywood Lane called police to report he was following a man who had just entered his home. Zazzarino was detained by officers without incident and was found in possession of a semi-automatic handgun, the captain said.

"Based on information gathered at both locations, Zazzarino is the person responsible for both shootings," Manzer said.

Detectives believe the victim of the second shooting was driving away from his residence when he saw Zazzarino acting suspiciously near a neighbor’s fence and stopped to ask Zazzarino what he was doing in the area.

Zazzarino and the man exchanged a few words before Zazzarino allegedly shot the victim once in the chest and ran off, Manzer said.

"We believe after Zazzarino shot the second victim, he went to the residence on Baywood Lane," Manzer said.

The shooting victim drove back home and 911 was called.

Both shooting victims underwent emergency surgery and remained hospitalized Wednesday evening.

Zazzarino was booked into Napa County Jail on suspicion of two counts of attempted murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury.

Investigators are still trying to determine possible motives in the shootings.

Manzer said members of the Napa Police Department, Napa County Sheriffs’ Office, Napa County District Attorneys’ Office, California Highway Patrol, Department of Fish and Wildlife and volunteers from the Saint Helena Police Department responded Wednesday to provide investigative assistance.

During the shooting at Starbucks, nearby Napa High School and the Napa Valley Unified School District Offices were placed on lockdown. Napa police officers were placed at Napa High as a precaution and district officials communicated and coordinated their efforts with Napa police during the incident.

Police are asking anyone with additional information about Zazzarino, the incidents or anything else pertinent to the investigation to contact Detective Garrett Smith at 707-257-9375 or gsmith@cityofnapa.org or call the Napa Police Department at 707-257-9223.

UPDATE 1:45 p.m. Jan. 17: Two people were rushed to hospitals Wednesday morning with gunshot wounds suffered in shootings that happened near Napa schools, and police have the suspect in both shootings in custody, Napa Police Department officials said.

Wednesday at about 8:25 a.m., a shooting was reported in the parking lot of Starbucks at Jefferson Street and Lincoln Avenue, near Napa High School. In that incident, officers arrived to find a man in his 20s suffering from a gunshot wound to his abdomen, police Capt. Pat Manzer said. The victim was taken to Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa for surgery, Manzer said.

Witnesses to the shooting gave aid to the victim.

The suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, according to reports.

The incident prompted lockdowns at nearby Napa High School and Napa Valley Unified School District offices, and police in an alert at 8:30 a.m. asked the public to avoid the area.

While police were at that shooting, a second shooting was reported around 10 a.m. 3 or 4 miles away on MacBeth Street in the Baywood Lane area of northwest Napa, Manzer said. A man between 60 and 70 years old was shot in his chest, the captain said. He also was taken to the Queen of the Valley Medical Center.

According to Manzer, a man in his 20s was arrested near Baywood Lane and police were questioning him at police headquarters. A firearm was recovered at the site of the second shooting, the captain said.

At 1:15 p.m., the Napa Police Department released a statement via Facebook:

"At this time, we have the suspect in both shootings in custody. We are continuing to investigate both shootings. We would like to thank all of our residents and assisting agencies who helped and are continuing to assist us. We would also like to thank the Napa Valley Unified School District for their cooperation. Neither event was related to any school, school event or staff. More information will be released later this afternoon."

ORIGINAL POST: Police activity was ongoing Wednesday near Napa High School and three schools in west Napa but lockdowns at the schools and district offices have been lifted. All students and employees are safe, according to the Napa Valley Unified School District. According to multiple reports, there was a shooting Wednesday morning at or near the Starbucks across the street from Napa High School. The victim was taken from the scene by ambulance, while the gunman fled the scene in another vehicle. No arrests have been announced.

Napa police advised just before 8:30 a.m. of police activity near Jefferson Street and Lincoln Avenue, and asked the public to avoid the area. The shooting at Starbucks left at least one person with gunshot wounds, Napa Valley Register reported.

At 10:37 a.m., Napa police confirmed the lockdown at Napa High had been lifted but that a "crime scene investigation [was] ongoing near Jefferson/Lincoln" resulting in traffic delays.

In a separate alert sent at 10:22 a.m., Napa police asked the public to avoid the area of MacLean Street and Baywood Lane in west Napa because of "police activity for an active investigation."

"No action required. No lock downs in effect," police said.

It was unclear if the police activity — reports indicate a second shooting — at MacLean and Baywood was related to the incident near Napa High.

Three west Napa schools near Barbara Road and Linda Vista Avenue were locked down in response to that second reported shooting, school district spokeswoman Elizabeth Emmett said. That lockdown was lifted within 10 minutes.

Bay City News Service and Patch editors Hoa Quach and Bea Karnes contributed to this report.

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