Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced today that on November 21, 2023, Gerardo Hernandez Herrera, DOB 5/25/87, entered a bar in Pajaro, Monterey County armed with a firearm and confronted Sergio Ramos Carranza, DOB 12/27/75. Hernandez Herrera opened fire and Carranza drew a firearm and returned fire. Carranza shot and killed the assailant, Hernandez Herrera. All shots were fired within 3 ½ seconds. A bullet mortally wounded a female employee, and three other persons were struck by gunfire. The injuries to these three individuals were not life threatening. Today Carranza will be arraigned on a felony charge of carrying a loaded firearm in public. The investigation and review of the shooting continues, and the District Attorney will have no further comment until that process is complete.
Under the legal doctrine of transferred intent, if a person fires justifiably in self-defense and inadvertently injures or kills an innocent bystander, the law of self-defense applies, and the person does not commit a criminal act. Under this law, the person who initiated the gunfire is responsible for all injuries or deaths that result.
