NORTH COAST, Calif. – Two young Hopland men who authorities say are gang members have been arrested in connection to a shooting incident in Boonville earlier this month.

Alfredo Asher Knight, 18, and Marshall Leland Stillday, 19, were arrested on Saturday, according to a report from Sgt. Luis Espinoza of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

Espinoza said that on Aug. 7 Mendocino County Sheriff's deputies were asked to respond to a reported shooting which had occurred at about 10:30 p.m. in Boonville.

The call was initially reported to the California Highway Patrol’s Ukiah Dispatch and upon arrival CHP officers were able to determine the jurisdiction as being the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office, Espinoza said.

Deputies met with CHP officers who advised they had located evidence directly related to the reported shooting in the parking lot of the location, according to the report.

Espinoza said the deputies spoke to the victim, who reported a silver Ford Mustang had followed him to a store in Boonville where he observed the subjects responsible for the shooting inside the store. The victim was in fear for his safety based on the vehicle following him and he waited for the suspects to leave before continuing on his travels.

Upon entering the roadway, the victim reported the same suspect vehicle began to follow him for a second time. Espinoza said the victim parked in a well-lit area in the 14400 block of Highway 128 in hopes the vehicle would continue. It did not and instead parked next to the victim a short distance away.

After waiting a short period of time, while the victim was seated in his vehicle, the suspect vehicle sped up and began to pass the victim's parked vehicle. As the suspect vehicle passed, the victim reported a single gunshot was heard and the rear window of his vehicle had evidence of a bullet passing through which was later determined to have narrowly missed striking the victim's head. The victim contacted 911 and reported the incident, Espinoza said.

At the time of the initial investigation, the only information provided was that the suspect vehicle was a generic 2013 to 2014 silver Ford Mustang. Espinoza said a check of surveillance footage was done and two suspects were tentatively identified as Marshall Stillday and Alfredo Asher Knight.

Espinoza said both suspects were known to law enforcement as being associated with a criminal street gang. The investigation continued with Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputies actively looking for the vehicle and the suspects.

On Saturday, a Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputy on routine patrol conducted a traffic enforcement stop on a vehicle which contained five subjects, who were identified as Knight and Stillday. During a search of the vehicle, a loaded pistol was recovered, Espinoza said.

Espinoza said four suspects were initially arrested and following a review by the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office the other two subjects were released without formal charges.

Knight and Stillday were arrested for being a criminal street gang member carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a loaded handgun not registered to possessor, conspiracy and participating in a criminal street gang. Espinoza said Stillday was also arrested for a violation of his summary probation.

Based on the arrest of Stillday and Knight, a search warrant was authored for a residence in Hopland connected to the suspects, Espinoza said.

During the execution of the search warrant a firearm was recovered which matched the caliber of firearm believed to be the weapon used in the Aug. 7 shooting in Boonville, according to Espinoza.

Additionally, Espinoza said a silver 2013 Ford Mustang was located at the residence matching the suspect vehicle reported by the victim and witnesses.

Following additional investigations on Aug. 20, Knight and Stillday – who remained in Mendocino County Jail custody – were arrested for attempted murder, conspiracy, participating in a criminal street gang, armed in the commission of a felony and a criminal street gang member carrying a loaded firearm.

Knight remains in the Mendocino County Jail in lieu of two separate bails – $25,000 and $300,000 – while Stillday remains in custody in lieu of two separate bails, $30,000 and $300,000, Espinoza said.

Anyone with information concerning either investigation is asked to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Tip-Line at 707-234-2100 or the WeTip Anonymous Crime Reporting Hotline at 800-782-7463.