Javier Campos III pleaded not guilty Wednesday morning to a litany of charges associated with his alleged involvement in a drive-by shooting that injured nine people.
While Campos, 23, sat nearby in orange clothes and with a rattail hairstyle, his public defender Seth Meisels, stepped to the podium at the Hall of Justice and denied “all allegations” stemming from the June shooting on 24th Street near Treat Avenue.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins’s charges include one count of assault and discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle and causing great bodily injury, eight counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm and causing great bodily injury, three counts of unlawful firearm possession, and alleged Campos committed the crime for the benefit of a street gang.
The District Attorney’s office also requested that San Francisco Superior Court Judge Victor Hwang keep Campos detained because “of the public safety risk he poses.” Assistant District Attorney Stacie Pettigrew is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of all charges, Campos faces life in prison.
The 23-year-old is accused of driving by Dying Breed on 24th Street on June 9, 2023, and shooting and injuring nine victims outside the clothing store. Police officers had identified the suspect as driving a Mercedes-Benz, which appears to be similar to the car Campos used in a rap video, and he allegedly posted an Instagram story bragging about the crime.
Campos was arrested June 14 in Santa Cruz. He’s from Richmond, CA, and has previously had a warrant in connection to a homicide in Oakland, in which an 18-year-old was killed. Previous convictions from 2018 include carjacking and robbery. In 2020, was charged with illegal firearm possession, including possession of a “ghost gun.”
The young man also experienced tragedy: At 12, his father was murdered by his uncle, and his step-brother was murdered at 16th and Valencia streets in 2012.
Campos will reappear in court tomorrow to set a date for his preliminary hearing, which will occur before Jan. 5. A judge will decide then if Campos should remain in jail.
He shot 9 people and spread terror through the neighborhood. I hope they keep him locked up.
He has been sentenced to prison in his Santa Cruz case and has charges pending in San Mateo and Alameda. If he is “released” by san francisco he will remain in custody, either in prison, or one of those two other counties.
That is true but those other counties may decide to bail him out or drop charges, so better for SF to keep him locked up. If released on bail he would feel he has nothing to lose, given that potential life sentence.
Similarities ?
Some guys skateboard to get the girls attention.
Some guys commit mass murder.
He did it. Judge his character. Throw the key away. Society will be better.
“He’s a Richmond district resident.” Is he? Prior articles says he lived outside of SF but frequented the Mission.
A previous article said he was a resident of Richmond, as in the city, not the district.
Apologies, this was an editing error. You’re right, it’s Richmond, CA, and this has been corrected.