Teen charged with attempted murder in wild Bay Point gang shootout on Halloween, but suspected killer set free

BAY POINT — A 16-year-old boy has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly wounding the body of a teen who’d already been killed in a wild Halloween night shooting involving rival East Bay gangs. But, in a twist, prosecutors determined the boy’s actual killer acted lawfully.

Santiago Gil Ceja, who turns 17 this week, was charged with attempting to murder 17-year-old Bryan Tapia Valencia during the Oct. 31 incident. Another 17-year-old boy, who allegedly fatally shot Tapia Valencia, has been set free with no charges filed, authorities said.

The Halloween shootout involved rival gang members, a group of whom showed up in a caravan of vehicles to a residence on Island View Court where both teen suspects were staying. According to authorities, Tapia Valencia got out of the vehicle and literally stumbled into a 17-year-old boy outside the residence, then pulled a gun on him.

The 17-year-old raised his hands, but when Tapia Valenica turned away, he produced his own pistol and shot Tapia Valencia in the chest, killing him, authorities said. Hearing the gunfire, several more people exited the home, including Gil Ceja.

The caravan of vehicles then attempted to drive away from the residence, and more shots were fired as they drove away, authorities said. It was during this time that Gil Ceja allegedly picked up Tapia Valencia’s gun from the ground and fired several more shots into his body.

In filing the case, prosecutors made this legal calculus: they wouldn’t be able to disprove a self-defense theory involving Tapia Valenica’s killer at trial, since the victim was armed and had just held his killer at gunpoint. But when Gil Ceja allegedly disarmed Tapia Valencia and shot him with his own gun, he was unaware the boy was already dead and was attempting to kill him.

Gil Ceja has been charged as a juvenile, meaning if convicted that he faces a maximum term of confinement to his 25th birthday. He remains in juvenile hall, authorities say.

In the aftermath of the shooting, Contra Costa Sheriff’s personnel raided the Island View Court home and found four guns, dozens of rounds of ammunition, drawings of gang logos and other related indicia, like bandanas, authorities said. The gun that was used to kill Tapia Valenica was discovered hidden in a tool shed in the backyard, according to police.