Surveillance footage would soon become the pivotal breakthrough in the investigation. It showed a suspect dressed in all black trailing Caleb for approximately 13 minutes in and around the shopping center before the shooting took place. The suspect’s face was obscured, but investigators believed this figure had deliberately targeted Caleb.

The footage also captured a white Tesla Model 3 speeding away from the scene moments after the shots were fired. The vehicle was not immediately located, and the trail briefly went cold. However, a turning point came when police released still images of the Tesla to the public. Tips began to trickle in, and one witness identified the vehicle as frequently seen in the company of a group of teenagers who attended school in the area.

The focus then shifted to a teenage girl believed to be linked to the vehicle. She was initially detained and questioned but ultimately released. Investigators remained tight-lipped about what she may have disclosed, but sources later confirmed that she helped connect law enforcement to the two suspects now charged.

Clovis Police Chief Curt Fleming, who is scheduled to address the public at a press conference on Saturday morning, praised the department’s efforts in what he called a “methodical, community-supported investigation.”

On May 9, in coordinated actions, police arrested 16-year-olds Cassie Michael and Byron Rangel. Authorities confirmed that both were already persons of interest and that the arrests were the result of deliberate planning to ensure no risk to the public or law enforcement officers.

Cassie Michael, accompanied by a private defense attorney, surrendered peacefully at a law office in downtown Fresno. Her attorney, whose name has not been released, contacted police ahead of time to arrange the handover. Shortly after, Byron Rangel surrendered as well, arriving at Clovis Police Headquarters around 3:30 p.m.

Both teenagers are now facing charges including first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Due to the severity of the crime, prosecutors are pursuing the case in adult court — a controversial but not unprecedented move in California for suspects under 18.

Fresno County District Attorney’s Office issued a statement Friday evening: “This is a deeply disturbing crime that ended the life of a promising young man. The community deserves answers and justice. Our office will pursue this case with full attention to the law, the facts, and the profound loss suffered by the Quick family.”

Legal experts say that while California generally promotes rehabilitation over punishment for minors, the 2019 amendment to Proposition 57 still allows for juveniles as young as 14 to be charged as adults for serious violent felonies, including murder.

The circumstances surrounding Caleb’s death remain under investigation, particularly the motive. Authorities have not publicly stated whether the shooting was random, targeted, or part of a larger dispute. Rumors have circulated about a possible argument or confrontation at school days earlier, but none of those details have been confirmed by officials.

Community members have expressed outrage and heartbreak at the fact that such a heinous act was allegedly committed by two minors. Local pastor and youth advocate Rev. Daniel Espinoza spoke at a community vigil for Caleb last week and emphasized the urgent need for early intervention programs for at-risk youth.

“We lost a young man who was everything we tell our kids to be — kind, focused, driven, humble,” said Espinoza. “And now we’re learning that the suspects are just kids too. This tells us something is broken. We have to ask: how do 16-year-olds come to the point where they can pull a trigger on another child?”

Many in Clovis have called for school safety reform and increased mental health support in high schools. Clovis Unified School District has confirmed that both suspects were enrolled students but has declined to comment further due to privacy laws.

In the wake of Caleb’s death, a memorial scholarship fund has been launched in his name. The Caleb Quick Foundation for Future Engineers will provide $1,000 annual scholarships to graduating seniors pursuing careers in STEM fields. As of Saturday morning, the fund had already raised more than $42,000 in community donations.

Caleb’s father, Mark Quick, said he hoped the scholarship would “carry forward the light and purpose that Caleb had for life.”

“His dreams shouldn’t die with him,” he said. “We want the next generation of kids to keep building, keep dreaming, and remember Caleb not for how he died, but for how he lived.”

As the legal process unfolds, the city of Clovis waits with heavy hearts. Saturday’s press conference is expected to shed light on new developments in the case, including forensic evidence, statements from the suspects, and whether additional individuals may have been involved.

For now, the Quick family remains surrounded by a community that refuses to let Caleb’s memory fade.

They’ve asked the media and the public for privacy, but also expressed deep gratitude for the outpouring of love and support.

“We are broken, but we are not alone,” said Caleb’s sister, Mariah. “Clovis has stood with us, and that means everything.”

Caleb Quick’s funeral was held on April 30 at Clovis Hills Community Church. More than 500 people attended, many wearing blue — his favorite color — and sharing stories of his warmth, his curiosity, and the way he could light up a room.

The grief is deep, but so is the determination to find justice. In the coming weeks, as court dates are set and new evidence comes to light, the people of Clovis will be watching — not just to see accountability served, but to ensure that no other family suffers the pain the Quicks now carry every day.