San Jose police have announced the arrests of three individuals, identified as alleged gang members, in connection with two unrelated stabbings. Detectives attributed the successful identification and apprehension of these suspects to the use of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) data.
Manuel Perez-Gonzalez, 20, was arrested last week by the police Gang Investigations Unit detectives. He faces charges related to a June 6 stabbing incident that resulted in a man sustaining life-threatening injuries. Perez-Gonzalez was located and arrested at his San Jose home on October 1. He has been booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail on a charge of attempted murder. The Gang Investigations Unit specifically noted the role of Automated License Plate Reader data in identifying and arresting Perez-Gonzalez.
In a separate investigation, Jose Valle, 43, and Benjamin Mendez, 25, both residents of San Jose, were arrested on September 30. These arrests are linked to an April 2026 stabbing that occurred in South San Jose. Valle was apprehended in Fowler, a city in the Central Valley, while Mendez was arrested in Redwood City. Detectives from the Gang Investigations Unit, with assistance from the police Covert Response Unit, were involved in locating and arresting both individuals. They have been booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail, each facing charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
The April 2026 incident took place on April 10, 2026, at approximately 1:45 AM. Patrol officers responded to a report of a stabbing outside a business located in the 3800 block of Monterey Highway. Upon arrival, officers found that both the victim and the suspects had left the scene. The preliminary investigation later revealed that an adult male victim had been involved in an altercation with a group of suspects. During this confrontation, the suspects violently assaulted and stabbed the victim multiple times. The victim subsequently transported himself to a local hospital for treatment of what were described as life-threatening injuries. Investigators determined this incident to be gang motivated.
Following the April 2026 stabbing, Gang Investigations Unit detectives immediately began their work. They utilized both Automated License Plate Reader data and surveillance videos as part of their investigation, which ultimately led to the identification of the primary suspects in the case. The police announcement underscores the role of this technology in ongoing investigations into violent crime in San Jose.
The June 6 stabbing for which Perez-Gonzalez was arrested also involved a victim who sustained life-threatening injuries, further highlighting the serious nature of the incidents.
