Arrest Made in Thousand Oaks Shooting 

October 24, 2024 – Ventura County Sheriff's Office officials report that suspects were arrested after slashing the tires of multiple vehicles and firing gunshots at two victims who were following the suspects as they fled the area.

On October 6, 2024, at about 1:00 A.M. (0100 hours), Thousand Oaks residents reported tires being slashed on multiple vehicles on Chiquita Lane.  Three suspects were seen on foot leaving the area.  Two nearby uninvolved citizens saw the suspects leaving the area and followed the suspects in a vehicle.  The suspects were picked up by a white sedan and made several U-turns in the neighborhood causing the suspect vehicle and victim vehicle to face each other head on.  Several shots were fired from the suspect vehicle which struck the victims’ vehicle.  The suspects then fled the area.  Thousand Oaks patrol deputies and Thousand Oaks Investigations Bureau detectives responded to the scene and located evidence related to both the vandalism of the tires and the subsequent shooting.

On the morning of October 22, 2024, three simultaneous and coordinated enforcement operations occurred by the Thousand Oaks Special Enforcement Unit, Directed Enforcement Unit and East County Major Crimes Unit.  Jimmy Cruz was taken into custody and a search warrant service was conducted at his residence in Thousand Oaks.  Evidence related to the vandalism and shooting were seized, including a functional police radio scanner.  Based upon the evidence acquired in the investigation, Cruz was arrested for two counts of Attempted Murder (PC 664/187), Conspiracy to Commit a Crime (PC 182(a)(1)), and felony Vandalism (PC 594(b)(1)).  Cruz remains in custody at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility (PTDF) with bail set at $700,000.

Layla Hamideh was contacted during a traffic enforcement stop in Thousand Oaks.  During the contact, a loaded semi-automatic non-serialized handgun, commonly referred to as a “ghost gun” was recovered.  Hamideh was traveling with three juvenile passengers in the vehicle and the gun was in an area easily accessible to the juveniles.  Hamideh was arrested and booked into the PTDF for Carrying a Loaded Firearm on One’s Person (PC 25850(a)), Carry a Concealed Firearm – Within a Vehicle (PC 25400(a)(1), Unlawful Transfer of a Firearm (PC 27545), and Child Endangerment (PC 273a(b).  Hamideh was released after posting $50,000 bail.

Michael Fay was arrested, and a search warrant was served at his residence in Thousand Oaks.  Evidence related to the crimes were seized and Fay was booked into the PTDF for Felony Vandalism (PC 594(a)), and Conspiracy to Commit a Crime (PC 182(a)(1)).  Fay was released after posting $40,000 bail.

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to a $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime.  The caller may remain anonymous.  The call is not recorded.  Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Source & photos: Ventura County Sheriff's Office