A 23-year-old man arrested in connection to the fatal shooting of a Sacramento State student was arraigned Monday on one felony count of homicide.

David Allen Falls, dressed in an orange jumpsuit and standing in a holding cell at Sacramento Superior Court, didn’t say much in his first court appearance. Falls acknowledged he was aware of the charge against him. Asked if he wanted to be defended by the District Attorney’s Office, Falls replied, “Yes, sir,” and was then told his next court appearance before exiting the courtroom.

Sacramento Police arrested Falls late Thursday on suspicion of killing Kebret Tekle, a sophomore and member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

The shooting occurred May 3 outside the Library Eats and Drinks bar on Folsom Boulevard. According to police, Tekle was sitting inside her car when a stray bullet hit her. She died later that day at UC Davis Medical Center.

Linda Parisi, head of the public defender’s major crimes unit, said Falls, if convicted, could face a sentence of 50 years to life for homicide using a gun.

Friends and family filled the courtroom at the arraignment. Four women sitting in the front row near the holding cell, including sisters Sessen and Shewit Tekle, wore T-shirts with the victim’s face. The words “Pretty runs in the family” and “R.I.P. beautiful sister Kebret” were printed above and below the image, respectively.

Family and friends for Tekle and Falls declined to speak with the media after the arraignment, but the Tekle family released a statement thanking the media and the campus community for respecting its privacy.

“The family and friends of Kebret Tekle would like to thank you for all your efforts and comfort during this painful time for us,” the release stated.

While cameramen from four television stations and a photographer from The Sacramento Bee attended the hearing, Judge Russel L. Hom prohibited photos of Falls’ face. Parisi said the judge did so because eyewitness identification is ongoing.

Falls remains in custody at Sacramento County Jail and is ineligible for bail. His next court appearance will be at 8:30 a.m. on Monday.

ARRESTPolice Officer Michelle Lazark said on Friday that the arrest of Falls was made without incident by a career criminal apprehension unit.

“They have not slept. They have been on it like a bloodhound,” Lazark said.

According to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, Falls was booked into the county jail at 12:57 a.m. on Friday. The Sacramento Bee, attributing the arrest record, reported that Falls was arrested at 7 p.m. on Thursday near the corner of Florin Road and Franklin Boulevard.

“He was a high risk,” Lazark said. Witness accounts and Falls’ criminal history helped lead to the arrest, she said.

Lazark said police know that others are involved with the shooting and said it is tied to gangs. Other arrests are forthcoming, the officer said.

CRIMINAL PASTWhile police said Falls is connected to gang violence, he hasn’t been convicted of a crime relating to gangs as an adult in Sacramento County. Falls has, however, been arrested on suspicion of drug and domestic violence crimes.

Falls is enrolled in an 18-month drug diversion program for possession of cocaine in January. Completion of a diversion program can lead to dismissal of charges.

He pleaded no contest in February. A second count of possessing “not more than 28.5 grams of marijuana” was dismissed.

It had been more than a year since Falls went to court, when he was charged in 2005 for domestic assault and a threat to kill someone he was dating.

In the most recent case, Falls was sentenced to three years of probation and 30 days in a Sheriff’s Work Project after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of battery.

According to a police statement available in court records, Falls slapped the victim six times, punched her in the stomach and kicked her in the leg after an hour-long conversation went bad in March at the woman’s home.

Falls then, according to the officer’s report, pushed in the bathroom window before leaving in the woman’s vehicle. When he returned 30 minutes later in her vehicle, he began ripping speaker wiring, removed the stereo faceplate and took the amplifier out of the trunk.

A second charge of damaging property was dismissed.

Earlier in the year, according to court records, Falls became violent at the victim’s sister’s house.

According to police records available in court documents, Falls became jealous in January of 2005 when he came to see the victim and saw another man inside the home. With his hand wrapped in a sweater, Falls broke three windows of the victim’s Nissan Pathfinder and bent the two front doors toward the fender. The victim’s sister said Falls threatened her and said he had a gun.

However, two misdemeanor counts of a threat to kill and damage to a car were dismissed in August.

And in 2004, Falls pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of selling alcohol to a minor.

Gamaliel Ortiz contributed to this report.

Nate Miller can be reached at [email protected]