Middle-schooler arrested in Redwood City robbery possibly tied to attempted murder

Police in Redwood City arrested a middle-school student Thursday suspected in a robbery that may be tied to an attempted homicide.
On Sept. 25, a person was shot near the intersection of Adams and Jackson streets in Redwood City. The victim survived the shooting and 18-year-old Payton Russi was arrested the following day on suspicion of the crime, according to police.
Though the firearm used in the case remains outstanding, police believe additional suspects were involved in events leading up to the shooting. One of these suspects is a minor attending McKinley Institute of Technology in Redwood City which serves grades 6-8.
On Oct. 16, police learned that the same minor had allegedly committed a strong-arm robbery of another student a few days before.
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“Due to the timing of the report and the minor’s involvement in the shooting investigation, immediate contact was not made regarding this robbery,” said the Redwood City Police Department.
On Thursday, officers executed a search warrant naming the minor as a suspect. Detectives determined that contacting the boy at school would minimize the risk of confrontation and proceeded to McKinley Institute of Technology, the department said. Detectives were aware of the minor’s suspected involvement in both the shooting and robbery cases, as well as the outstanding status of the firearm used in the attempted homicide.
Detectives made contact with the minor in the school’s office and requested that the boy remove his backpack. When the minor became confrontational, detectives used a control hold to safely place him in handcuffs, they said. No injuries were reported during the detention, which was documented on detectives’ body-worn cameras, according to police.
The minor was subsequently arrested for robbery and later released to the San Mateo County Youth Services Center.
The Redwood City Police Department continues to investigate these cases. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Redwood City Police Department’s non-emergency line at (650) 780-7100.