Controversy has erupted in California as a judge’s decision to release a murder suspect and alleged gang member without bail has sparked widespread criticism. The suspect, Vicente Aguilera-Chavez, along with Agustin Sandoval, was arrested in January for their alleged involvement in a 2017 shooting that resulted in the death of a 21-year-old and left another individual injured.

The incident, which occurred in a nightclub parking lot in Sunnyvale, California, was reportedly gang-related, culminating in charges against Aguilera for murder. According to Mercury News, both Aguilera and Sandoval faced charges for the murder of Edu Veliz-Salgado. The case had gone cold until 2024 when new evidence led detectives from the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety to identify the suspects.

During an October 31 hearing, Judge Hector Ramon made the contentious call to release Aguilera on his own recognizance, effectively waiving the requirement for him to post bail, as reported by NBC Bay Area. This decision has been met with alarm, especially considering Aguilera’s previous conviction and prison sentence in 2022 for burglary.

Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen expressed his deep concern for public safety, stating his shock over the release of Aguilera, who is recognized as a certified gang member. Rosen’s apprehension underscores the tension between judicial discretion and community safety in cases involving violent crime and gang affiliations.

Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen told NBC Bay Area he’s “very concerned for the safety of our community” and “shocked” as Aguilera is a certified gang member.

“This is a case where somebody charged with first-degree murder, with a gun, for the benefit of a criminal street gang, who had strike offenses before this murder and strike offenses after the murder, and was sent to prison on other charges before the murder,” he added.

The district attorney’s office filed a motion asking Ramon to reconsider his decision to release Aguilera, stating that he’s “gambling” that the suspect doesn’t pose a risk to the community.

“The court is gambling he does not pose a risk to public safety because he has not been arrested for the last few years,” the motion stated. “The court should give equal weight to his criminal history … and the fact that he brazenly murdered a stranger in front of a crowd because the stranger was drunk and mouthing off.”

Deputy Public Defender Jennifer Redding, Aguilera’s defense attorney, filed the motion seeking his release from pre-trial custody in October and claimed that her client wasn’t involved in the shooting and has strong ties to the community.

“There is no evidence that Mr. Aguilera, especially with (supervised release) conditions, would present any risk of bodily harm to others,” Redding wrote. “Mr. Aguilera is motivated to clear his name. … There is no compelling interest in detaining Mr. Aguilera on public safety grounds or out of concern he is a flight risk.”

Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Lt. Devon Klein also voiced his disagreement to the local NBC outlet, saying that the judge has a history of releasing repeat offenders back into the streets.

“Not only are they repeat offenders, but Judge Ramon is a repeat offender,” Klein said. “He has a pattern of releasing repeat offenders back into our communities.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Redding for comment.

The court declined to comment on behalf of Ramon.