12:45 am | Eight people were arrested by Long Beach Police Thursday in connection with 12 gang-related shootings that resulted in the deaths of two people since July 2009, in a massive sweep of one of Long Beach’s most notorious violent street gangs, the East Side Longos. One suspect, 28-year old Long Beach resident Ruhani Bustamante, is believed to be the main person responsible for eleven of those shootings and both of the deaths.

Three other suspects were charged with at least one attempted murder, and a separate suspect was charged with the 1992 shooting that killed a 19 year-old and injured five others attending a wake.

Weapons and narcotics were discovered at the homes of some suspects, and five additional people were arrested on drug charges. A total of 50 parole and probation searches were carried out on suspected members of the East Side Longos.

When the first three shootings occurred in July and August of last year, evidence linked them all together but police had little to develop a suspect.

After the January murder of 18-year old Jonathon Cordova, police in March began spreading video surveillance of the believed suspect car and distributed fliers throughout the community. They eventually linked ballistics in that shooting to the October 2009 murder of 23-year old Esual Villagrana, which also linked to the first three shootings. Witnesses eventually came forward with evidence that led to the arrest of Bustamante, police say.

While investigating Bustamante as a suspect, police say they identified associates and began connecting them to additional crimes.

One of them, 32-year old Reyes Rios, was charged with two of the attempted murders. He is believed to have been the gunman in a January shooting that injured three Hispanic victims and a February shooting that targeted a group of black males. No one was injured.

Police said Thursday that Rios was the leader of the East Side Longos and that Bustamante was a top member. The six other people arrested were also identified as members of the gang and face charges ranging from attempted murder to witness intimidation and evidence tampering.

Below is a complete listing of the suspects arrested and their charges. Unless noted, all are Long Beach residents.

Ruhani Bustamante, 28 – Two counts murder, nine counts attempted murder

Reyes Rios, 32 – Two counts attempted murder

Delores Ruiz, 29 (Lakewood resident) – One count destruction of evidence

Maria Kanlilar, 28 – One count accessory to murder

Juan Herrera, 32 – One count attempted murder, one count accessory to murder

Jose Luis Cortez, 37 – One count accessory to murder

Martha Arevalo, 39 – Attempted murder

Jesus Ramirez, 24 – One count witness intimidation

Lisa Sedillo, 34 – One count murder (1992 incident), one count witness intimidation