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First-degree murder among charges filed in Livermore bowling alley shooting

Court docs describe initial video footage from Granada Bowl bar that night

Prosecutors have charged Livermore resident Roger Garcia Aleman with murder and eight other felony counts, as well as a slew of special allegations, in connection with the deadly shooting at Granada Bowl earlier this month.

Roger Garcia Aleman. (Photo courtesy LPD)

The documents filed by the Alameda County District Attorney's Office include a narrative by an initial police investigator who describes what she saw in video surveillance footage of the bowling alley's bar that night, revealing new details such as that Aleman allegedly tried to drag his injured friend out of the bar at first and kept shooting as he was fleeing the scene.

The criminal complaint submitted to the court last Friday also lists attempted murder and assault with a semiautomatic firearm charges as it pertains to three surviving victims, whereas Livermore police initially cited two men who were shot and survived. The nature of injuries, if any, for the third living victim have not been specified.

Aleman -- whom police originally identified as Roger Aleman Garcia -- was arraigned on Friday and remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. It is not immediately clear whether he is represented by an attorney yet.

Aleman, 27, was arrested in Lathrop early in the morning on July 20, more than three days after police allege he killed Antonio Vargas and injured others after an argument in the bar escalated into gunfire on the evening of July 16 at the bowling alley in Livermore. Vargas, 28, was pronounced dead at the scene.

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According to video footage, Aleman arrived at the bowling alley with three people around 5 p.m. July 16 and played pool inside the bar, Livermore police Det. Jennifer Bloom wrote in a probable cause declaration filed with the Alameda County Superior Court.

About an hour later, Aleman appeared to make a comment directed toward Vargas' friend, which prompted the two to leave their group and approach the pool table, Bloom said. A fight then broke out between the two groups.

"Victim #1 (Vargas) approached Aleman. Aleman retrieved a black firearm from his waistband and pointed it at Victim #1," Bloom wrote. "Victim #1 continued to walk toward Aleman. Aleman shot Victim #1, causing him to fall to the ground. Aleman then began to shoot towards the pool table where Victim #2 and Victim #3 were physically punching each other."

Vargas, who sustained at least one gunshot wound to his torso, died at the scene, according to the detective.

The initial gunfire toward the pool table hit Aleman's friend in the torso. The detective alleged that Aleman attempted to drag his injured friend out of the bar with him, and as he was walking into the hallway, he continued to shoot his gun and struck Vargas' friend in the leg, causing him to fall. There was no reference to a fourth victim in Bloom's declaration.

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Aleman ran out of the bowling alley and fled the area, according to police. He remained at-large until police developed information about his whereabouts on July 19, ultimately arresting him just after 1 a.m. July 20 in Lathrop on suspicion of murder and other charges.

The DA's office filed formal charges against Aleman last Friday.

The nine felony counts include first-degree murder for Vargas' death, attempted murder and assault with a semiautomatic firearm related to each of three surviving victims, discharging a firearm with gross negligence and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Aleman also faces a handful of special allegations and potential prison term enhancements related to the felonies, including gun use, great violence or bodily harm, serious violent conduct and prior convictions -- which are listed as felony assault with a firearm (2013 conviction) and illegal gun possession (2018 conviction).

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Jeremy Walsh
 
Jeremy Walsh, a Benicia native and American University alum, joined Embarcadero Media in November 2013. After serving as associate editor for the Pleasanton Weekly and DanvilleSanRamon.com, he was promoted to editor of the East Bay Division in February 2017. Read more >>

Follow PleasantonWeekly.com and the Pleasanton Weekly on Twitter @pleasantonnews, Facebook and on Instagram @pleasantonweekly for breaking news, local events, photos, videos and more.

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First-degree murder among charges filed in Livermore bowling alley shooting

Court docs describe initial video footage from Granada Bowl bar that night

by / Pleasanton Weekly

Uploaded: Wed, Jul 27, 2022, 6:09 am

Prosecutors have charged Livermore resident Roger Garcia Aleman with murder and eight other felony counts, as well as a slew of special allegations, in connection with the deadly shooting at Granada Bowl earlier this month.

The documents filed by the Alameda County District Attorney's Office include a narrative by an initial police investigator who describes what she saw in video surveillance footage of the bowling alley's bar that night, revealing new details such as that Aleman allegedly tried to drag his injured friend out of the bar at first and kept shooting as he was fleeing the scene.

The criminal complaint submitted to the court last Friday also lists attempted murder and assault with a semiautomatic firearm charges as it pertains to three surviving victims, whereas Livermore police initially cited two men who were shot and survived. The nature of injuries, if any, for the third living victim have not been specified.

Aleman -- whom police originally identified as Roger Aleman Garcia -- was arraigned on Friday and remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. It is not immediately clear whether he is represented by an attorney yet.

Aleman, 27, was arrested in Lathrop early in the morning on July 20, more than three days after police allege he killed Antonio Vargas and injured others after an argument in the bar escalated into gunfire on the evening of July 16 at the bowling alley in Livermore. Vargas, 28, was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to video footage, Aleman arrived at the bowling alley with three people around 5 p.m. July 16 and played pool inside the bar, Livermore police Det. Jennifer Bloom wrote in a probable cause declaration filed with the Alameda County Superior Court.

About an hour later, Aleman appeared to make a comment directed toward Vargas' friend, which prompted the two to leave their group and approach the pool table, Bloom said. A fight then broke out between the two groups.

"Victim #1 (Vargas) approached Aleman. Aleman retrieved a black firearm from his waistband and pointed it at Victim #1," Bloom wrote. "Victim #1 continued to walk toward Aleman. Aleman shot Victim #1, causing him to fall to the ground. Aleman then began to shoot towards the pool table where Victim #2 and Victim #3 were physically punching each other."

Vargas, who sustained at least one gunshot wound to his torso, died at the scene, according to the detective.

The initial gunfire toward the pool table hit Aleman's friend in the torso. The detective alleged that Aleman attempted to drag his injured friend out of the bar with him, and as he was walking into the hallway, he continued to shoot his gun and struck Vargas' friend in the leg, causing him to fall. There was no reference to a fourth victim in Bloom's declaration.

Aleman ran out of the bowling alley and fled the area, according to police. He remained at-large until police developed information about his whereabouts on July 19, ultimately arresting him just after 1 a.m. July 20 in Lathrop on suspicion of murder and other charges.

The DA's office filed formal charges against Aleman last Friday.

The nine felony counts include first-degree murder for Vargas' death, attempted murder and assault with a semiautomatic firearm related to each of three surviving victims, discharging a firearm with gross negligence and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Aleman also faces a handful of special allegations and potential prison term enhancements related to the felonies, including gun use, great violence or bodily harm, serious violent conduct and prior convictions -- which are listed as felony assault with a firearm (2013 conviction) and illegal gun possession (2018 conviction).

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