SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Antonio Rodgers-Alcala, the accused killer of 18-year-old Damien Gonzalez at the Mission Recreation Center, appeared in court today for a previous armed robbery case that occurred two months before the fatal shooting in August.
During the hearing on the June 3 robbery, Rodgers-Alcala’s attorney, Lawrence Strauss, withdrew a motion to reduce his five felony charges from the burglary case to misdemeanors. Rodgers-Alcala had been arrested for murder on December 28, with court filings alleging that he was caught breaking into cars with three juveniles, one of whom was armed.
Charged with multiple felonies for the robbery and deemed ineligible for the young adult court, Rodgers-Alcala was awaiting his preliminary hearing on the burglary case while out on bail at the time of Gonzalez’s murder.
Gonzalez was shot and killed on August 18 at the Mission gym while playing basketball with friends. Prosecutors allege that Rodgers-Alcala shot Gonzalez five times at close range and then was seen on surveillance camera being picked up by his mother two blocks away. Additionally, police allegedly found another gun in his bedroom upon his arrest.
Gonzalez, an active member of the Mission District community, was described as an up-and-coming presence involved in community groups and business endeavors. His killing was labeled a “callous murder” by the District Attorney’s Office, which also stated that Rodgers-Alcala had demonstrated an escalation of violent behavior.
In conclusion, Rodgers-Alcala’s legal issues prior to the murder paint a picture of escalating criminal behavior, leading up to the tragic loss of Damien Gonzalez’s life at the Mission Recreation Center.