Hard Rock shooting suspect heads to district court

Probable cause was found on Friday to move the case of the man accused of shooting South Lake Tahoe resident Omar Reyes Garcia to district court.

Senior Judge Tom Perkins ruled that there was sufficient evidence that a crime was committed and that defendant Edgar Delgado, 24, could have committed it. Perkins set an Oct. 2 arraignment in Douglas County District Court Department 2.

A finding of probable cause is not an indication of guilt.

The Tahoe Township Justice Courtroom was packed with Garcia’s friends and relatives as prosecutors Chelsea Mazza and Jim Sibley presented the case and defense attorney Thomas Viloria asked questions of the witnesses.

The shooting occurred at the Center Bar of the Hard Rock Casino on March 25.

According to Investigator Brandon Williamson, Garcia and Delgado appeared on security footage to be showing each other their tattoos when at some point Delgado lifted his shirt and took out a handgun.

Delgado allegedly pulled back the slide, ejecting a cartridge, before replacing it in his waistband at least three times, according to Williamson.

Crime scene investigators later found five unspent rounds on the floor of the casino.

Investigator Steve Schultz testified he spoke with Delgado after the white Toyota 4Runner he was riding in was pulled over at Highway 50 and Tamarack Pines by El Dorado County Sheriff’s deputies.

Schultz said that Delgado told him that there was a firearm in his bag and said he did not know who he was talking to in the casino.

He said that Garcia offered to show Delgado how to snowboard and skate and that the conversation was amicable.

Schultz had previous testified that Delgado smelled of alcohol at the time of the interview.

He said Delgado didn’t deny shooting Garcia but was either unable or unwilling to explain what led up to the shooting.

“He said, ‘There’s no reason,’” Schultz testified.