A criminal street gang member was convicted Wednesday of first degree murder for the 2015 shooting murder of 26-year-old Jamil Terry.
A jury found 21-year-old Gary Lee of San Bernardino guilty of one count of murder and found true of a gun possession and gang allegation.
On the night of Dec. 17, 2015, the victim was gunned down by members of a local gang while he was hanging out with friends outside his apartment. Three assailants-later identified as members of a local gang-were seen on video exiting a rented truck and then opening fire on the victim. One of the shooters used an AK-47 assault rifle that the gang referred to as the "BK" for "Biscuit Killer."
Biscuit is a derogatory term for a rival gang member. Over 17 rounds were fired in a short duration, with over 15 rounds coming from the AK-47. One of the armor piercing rounds from the AK-47 killed Jamil Terry almost instantly. At the time of the shooting, no one could see who the shooters were as it was dark and the shooters were 50 yards away.
The video footage was also too grainy to make any identifications or to find plates on the truck. The case at that point went cold until the initiation of "Operation No Boundaries."
"Operation No Boundaries" was a multi-agency task force created in June 2016 that focused on the most violent criminal street gangs in San Bernardino, and it consisted of multiple agencies, including the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, San Bernardino Police Department, and several other local and federal agencies.
During "Operation No Boundaries" the Task Force found an AK-47 at a gang member's home that came back after ballistic analysis as being used at the murder scene of victim Jamil Terry. Along with the ballistic test, further evidence ultimately placed Lee at the scene of the crime.
"This is yet another great result stemming from the collaborative efforts our office has with local law enforcement," said District Attorney Mike Ramos. "We will continue pushing forward to make sure those criminals who terrorize our neighborhoods are held accountable. Simply put, we will find you. We will charge you if you break the law, and we will not be intimidated. Our law-abiding citizens deserve nothing less."
Sentencing for Lee is scheduled Dec. 1 in Dept. S18 at the San Bernardino Justice Center. Lee is facing 50 years to life in state prison.