People v. Mejia CA4/3

FACTS

Due to a spate of recent shootings in a neighborhood claimed by a criminal street gang named West Myrtle, a group of gang unit police officers participated in a late night surveillance of the area. During the surveillance, the officers saw a vehicle occupied by several persons drive slowly through the neighborhood three separate times. On its first pass, the vehicle stopped at one point. Three persons got out of it and walked along the street, “looking around” and “into the courtyards” of the adjacent

2 apartment buildings. As they did so, the vehicle moved forward paralleling their movement. After about a minute, the three individuals reentered the vehicle, which continued its slow drive along the street before turning at an intersection. The vehicle entered and slowly drove through the alley behind the apartment buildings, momentarily stopping at each courtyard. The vehicle returned for a second pass, again proceeding slowly along the street. It stopped at a corner where three persons got out and crossed the street looking around. After a minute, they walked back and reentered the vehicle. The vehicle drove off, but returned a few seconds later and made a third slow pass…