Youth Wounded in Possible Santa Ana Gang Shooting

A 16-year-old boy was shot in the neck and stomach Wednesday at a Santa Ana sandwich shop in what police believe to be a gang-related attack.

The victim, reportedly a student at Valley High School in Santa Ana, was taken to Fountain Valley Community Hospital, where he was reported in fair condition after surgery. Police would not identify the youth because of his age.

Two young men and three teen-agers were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder shortly after the boy was shot at about 12:30 p.m. inside the Bale Sandwich Shop at 2610 W. Edinger Ave., police said.

Officers refused to release the suspects’ names but said the young men--either 18 or 19 years old --were to be booked into Orange County Jail. The three teen-agers were to be booked into the county’s Juvenile Hall.

Police said the victim told officers that he had been shot during an argument over a video game inside the shop, but detectives said they were investigating the shooting as a possible gang attack.

Santa Ana Police Sgt. Dave Smith reported shots being fired in front of the shop at about 12:20 p.m. and, with other officers, arrived to find the victim lying inside on the floor.

According to witnesses, at least five more shots were fired outside the sandwich shop after the boy was wounded, but no other injuries were reported.

About an hour later, the five suspects were arrested and taken to the police station for questioning, according to Maureen Thomas, a police spokeswoman. She said she did not know where the arrests took place.

Fong Ho, a 20-year-old employee at the shop, said the wounded boy hung around the shop regularly with a group of Valley High School students, who sometimes cut classes and arrived there by mid-morning to play video games all day. Ho, who did not come to work until 3 p.m., said he knew the victim by first name only and doubted that he or the other shop regulars were gang members.

“They shoot, but they too young to be gangsters,” Ho said. “The oldest kid (of the group) was about 16 or 17. They all high school kids. Just kids.” Ho said the shop owner, Chea Horhor, witnessed the shooting. Horhor could not be reached for comment.