Simi Valley Gunshot Victim Critical; 1 Suspect Held and Another Sought

A man remained in critical condition Wednesday after being shot once in the abdomen after an argument outside his Simi Valley residence.

Police have one of two suspects in custody in the shooting of Michael Ronge, 26, who was taken to Simi Valley Hospital & Health Care Services after he was wounded in the 1900 block of Elizondo Street about 9:20 p.m. Tuesday.

Officers arrested Omar Bermejo, 20, shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday at his residence in the 1500 block of Fremont Avenue. He was booked at the East Valley Sheriff’s Station on suspicion of attempted murder.

Police officials, who said the assault did not appear to be gang-related, said they are searching for a second male suspect.

Officers found Ronge crumpled in the middle of Elizondo Street about 9:25 p.m. Tuesday after someone called 911 to report the incident.

Neighbors said they heard only a single shot. Jasmine Prokop described it as a muffled pop, followed immediately by a woman’s shriek.

“Right after, I heard this lady screaming, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe you did that!’ ” she said.

Cindy Barnett, who, like Ronge, is one of several adults living in the home, said she thought the sound was of a car backfiring. Then her niece, who Barnett said is Ronge’s fiancee, came running inside with blood on her clothes.

Barnett said she ran outside and found that Ronge had been shot in the stomach and pistol-whipped in the face. She said she did not know who attacked Ronge or why, adding that Ronge had been acting nervous and scared in recent days.

Lt. Ken Tacke of the Simi Valley police said there had been some kind of fight or argument just before the shooting. But with police unable to interview Ronge, they do not know precisely what happened, Tacke said.

Neighbors on Wednesday said police had been called to the house where Ronge lived on several occasions in the past.