Teenager charged in killing at Teichert Ponds

OROVILLE » New details have emerged in the case against a teen accused in the death of an unarmed man at Teichert Ponds and the injury of another. The teen was arraigned on charges of murder, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon Tuesday in Butte County Juvenile Court.

The shooting occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m. Sept. 4 when the Chico Police Department responded to a homeless camp near Teichert Ponds in Chico. The Butte County District Attorney’s Office said Chico police arrived approximately three minutes after receiving emergency calls. On arrival, they discovered two people had been shot.

Guy Steven Vanzant, 53, of Chico, was declared dead at the scene. The DA’s Office confirmed Monday the second man shot was a 47-year-old Chico man who suffered several gunshot wounds. Following the shooting, he was taken to Enloe Medical Center.

On Sept. 17, Chico police announced along with Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force and Department of Fish and Wildlife K-9 units, a 16-year-old had been arrested. Chico police said the teen had been contacted at his Chico residence and taken into custody without incident.

The DA’s Office has now confirmed speculation there had been more than one teen involved. At this point, only one has been charged.

The DA’s Office wrote in its news release, “Witnesses in the area said that just prior to the shooting, a group of four juvenile males, including the shooter, walked past the victims’ encampment. After passing the encampment, multiple shots were fired. The investigation revealed only one firearm was used in the shooting.”

This was followed by the confirmation the other teens are only considered witnesses at this time.

Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said in the release his office has requested the juvenile be evaluated in the juvenile court to determine if he should be tried as an adult because of the “violence displayed.”

“Through the hard work of the Chico Police Department the shooter was identified and detained,” Ramsey claimed in the release.

Following the teen’s arrest, he was booked into Butte County Juvenile Hall.