Week in Review : MAJOR EVENTS, IMAGES AND PEOPLE IN ORANGE COUNTY NEWS. : AT THE SCENE : D.A. Won’t File Charges on Man Who Shot Youth

Kevin Ralph Gull wants to forget Sept. 11, the day he shot a 16-year-old three times as the youth, who allegedly had broken into Gull’s home, tried to flee.

On Monday, the Orange County district attorney’s office said it will not file criminal charges against Gull.

“I would like to let this thing drop now that the district attorney has let it drop,” Gull said. “My wife would just like to forget the whole thing. I just want to start over again.”

But Gull was commended by an anti-crime group “for having the courage and taking the initiative in protecting his home,” said Dr. Howard Garber, organizer of the Citizens Anti-Crime Task Force.

Gull had surprised a teen-ager in his living room and had him get on the floor while he called police. When the youth ran, Gull fired three shots, striking him in the side, hip and leg, police said. The youth drove home, and his father took him to a hospital. He has since been released and remains in his father’s custody, Orange police said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Jack W. Sullens, who made the decision not to prosecute, said, “People in Mr. Gull’s position must be given every reasonable doubt.

“We’re talking about a period of four seconds. He was responding to the commission of a serious felony. He was still in fear at the time the shots were fired.”