SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Antonio Rodgers-Alcala, the suspect in the murder of 18-year-old Damien Gonzalez at the Mission Recreation Center, appeared in court for a separate armed robbery case that occurred two months prior to the August killing.
At the hearing for the June 3 robbery, Rodgers-Alcala’s lawyer, Lawrence Strauss, withdrew a motion to reduce his five felony charges from the burglary case to misdemeanors. This decision came after the defendant was arrested for murder on December 28.
Rodgers-Alcala had also been arrested in connection with breaking into cars around Telegraph Hill, where he and three juveniles, one of whom was armed, were caught. Court documents indicate that Rodgers-Alcala faced multiple felonies for this incident, including second-degree burglary, vandalism, and weapons charges.
Despite his involvement in these crimes, Rodgers-Alcala was considered not eligible for young adult court, which requires closer supervision and regular court appearances. His lawyer expressed the belief that he did not require such strict structure due to being a “good kid” and not meeting the service needs.
Following the murder of Gonzalez, Rodgers-Alcala was out on bail waiting for his preliminary hearing on the burglary case. Just days before his arrest for murder, his defense attorney submitted a motion to reduce his charges, emphasizing his youth and expressing a focus on rehabilitation.
According to prosecutors, Rodgers-Alcala fatally shot Gonzalez multiple times at close range in front of witnesses at the Mission gym. Court filings also revealed that he was caught on surveillance camera being picked up by his mother shortly after the murder, and another gun was found in his possession upon his arrest.
Meanwhile, Gonzalez was an active member of the Mission community, involved in various community groups and starting his own clothing brand. His tragic death at such a young age was described by the District Attorney’s Office as a “callous murder,” while highlighting Rodgers-Alcala’s “escalation of violent behavior” leading to the brazen crime at the Recreation Center basketball court.
Gonzalez’s untimely death has left a lasting impact on the Mission District, and the legal proceedings against Rodgers-Alcala continue to unfold as the community mourns the loss of a promising young individual.