Sacramento County jury convicts man in restaurant shooting; victim shot in the head
A Sacramento County jury on Monday convicted a man who shot someone in the head last year at a Citrus Heights restaurant after he was laughed at by a group at another table, prosecutors said.
Miguel Angel Garcia-Rocio, 39, was found guilty of attempted murder for the April 16, 2021, shooting, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday. His conviction includes enhancements for acting with premeditation and using a gun in the crime.
The shooting was reported about 9:40 p.m. at the restaurant in the 7900 block of Greenback Lane, the Citrus Heights Police Department has said. That portion of Greenback Lane is home to several major shopping centers, including Marketplace at Birdcage, the Citrus Town Center and Sunrise Mall.
Garcia-Rocio was having dinner at the restaurant with a small group, including children. Garcia-Rocio was making the children laugh, when a group of males at a nearby table started laughing at him.
Prosecutors said Garcia-Rocio got angry and started an argument with the group, before he went to the parking lot and moved his car closer to the outdoor patio where everyone was sitting.
Garcia-Rocio returned to his table and continued arguing with the other group. Prosecutors said Garcia-Rocio then walked up to the other table, pulled out a handgun from his waistband and shot the victim once in the head. He then got into his car and drove away, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Police officers arrived at the restaurant and found the man suffering with a gunshot wound to his head. Prosecutors said the victim suffered a grazing head wound, which required suturing. He survived.
Officers obtained a description of the gunman and a vehicle. They notified other nearby law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for the suspect.
About 20 minutes after the shooting, Folsom police officers had taken Garcia-Rocio into custody. Officers there had made a traffic stop and found Garcia-Rocio, who police said matched the suspect description.
Citrus Heights police said investigators later linked Garcia-Rocio to the shooting after reviewing security camera video.
Garcia-Rocio remained in custody Tuesday evening at the Sacramento County Jail. He is scheduled to return to Sacramento Superior Court on Dec. 9 for his sentencing hearing. He faces a maximum sentence of 27 years to life in prison.
