NORTHRIDGE : 2 Plead Innocent in Student’s Slaying

Two Northridge brothers pleaded innocent Tuesday to charges stemming from the February slaying of a 16-year-old Cleveland High School student, a deputy district attorney said.

The brothers, 16 and 17 years old, each pleaded innocent in Sylmar Juvenile Court to murder, two counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon, Deputy Dist. Atty. Dan Damon said. The teen-agers are scheduled to return to court March 18, when a judge will determine whether they should be tried as adults.

The brothers were arrested along with Aureliano Vasquez, 18, the day after the Feb. 22, shooting, in which Rocio Delgado was killed and two others wounded, police said.

Vasquez pleaded innocent last Thursday in San Fernando Municipal Court to charges stemming from the shooting, said Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office.

Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of Oscar Prado, 18, of Northridge, who is suspected of firing the shots that killed Delgado and wounded the others, Detective Tom Broad said.

Delgado, an innocent bystander, was shot after a fistfight between rival gang members escalated into gunfire, police said. Alejandro Rivera, 16, and Aidee Hernandez Mejia, 17, both of Northridge, were wounded.