By Chelsea Phua and Bill Lindelof
cphua@sacbee.com
Sacramento police said today they have arrested a man and two teenagers in the drive-by killing of a 20-year-old Sacramento resident.
The dead man has been identified by Sacramento County Coroner's deputies as Deandre James Ellison. Ellison was shot and killed about 4:40 p.m. Wednesday in the driveway of a home in the 900 block of Carmel Avenue in Del Paso Heights.
That's where police responded and were told by witnesses that Ellison and several friends were pulling into the driveway when somebody in a Ford Explorer started shooting at them. As a result of the gunfire, the vehicle Ellison was riding in crashed into the house.
Officers tried to stop a dark-colored Ford Explorer near Del Paso Road and Northgate Boulevard that matched the vehicle used in the drive-by shooting but the sport utility vehicle sped away. A pursuit began, ending when the Explorer hit five cars on Natomas Boulevard.
The three people in the SUV were arrested on suspicion of homicide: Jesse Cornejo, 21, a 17-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy.
Police say it is unclear what motivated the shooting.
Late Wednesday night, gang detectives were at the shooting scene assisting homicide detectives, while a group of the victim's friends stood along Rio Linda Boulevard across the street from yellow crime scene tape.
Kent Starr, 24, said he lived at the house where the shooting occurred and had known the victim for seven years.
Starr and other friends said the victim was returning from the store with a friend and was pulling up in front of the house when he was shot.
"He didn't deserve this," Starr said.
Call The Bee's Chelsea Phua, (916) 321-1132.
KTXL: Murder, pursuit and six car crash
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