Suspect in South Sacramento Motel 6 Shooting Arrested After Fleeing to Las Vegas

A 22-year-old man is now behind bars in Sacramento County after investigators tracked him down in Las Vegas in connection with a fatal motel shooting that claimed the life of a young father just weeks ago.

On June 9 at 1:30 a.m., a 21-year-old man was shot inside the lobby of the Motel 6 at 7407 Elsie Ave. in south Sacramento. First responders arrived to find the victim suffering from a gunshot wound, but despite immediate medical intervention from deputies, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim’s identity has not been released, but authorities confirmed he was the father of a young child—adding another layer of tragedy to what investigators would soon uncover.

Over the course of their investigation, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office detectives reviewed surveillance footage and witness statements from inside that motel lobby. Their work led them to identify 22-year-old Matthew Arizaga as the suspected shooter. But Arizaga wasn’t in Sacramento when detectives pieced together the case. Investigators learned he’d fled to Las Vegas, prompting a multi-state manhunt. On June 15, with assistance from the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, Arizaga was taken into custody. He was extradited back to Sacramento on Monday night.

Now held in county jail without bail, Arizaga is scheduled to appear in court at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The case marks yet another violent incident in south Sacramento, a community activist interviewed after the shooting spoke to the senselessness of it all—a young father gone, a child left without a parent, and a community questioning when the cycle of gun violence will finally break. As details emerge through the court process, Sacramento residents will be watching closely to understand what led to the fatal confrontation at that motel lobby.