4 Hit by Shots : Fear of Gangs Cools Fervor of Drug Crusade

Business was brisk at North Hills liquor store in Pomona Saturday afternoon, but most customers weren’t buying what Mark Aguilar had to say.

“Give up drugs and alcohol, brother,” said Aguilar, 26, a former heroin addict who stood outside the store wearing a blue-and-white T-shirt inscribed with his church’s name, Victory Outreach Ministry. He was handing out leaflets and encouraging people to visit his church.

“No way, man, I almost got shot at one of your meetings this week,” said one man, hurrying away.

Members of Victory Outreach have been dealing with that kind of reaction since Thursday night, when a gang member opened fire on a crowd of 100 attending one of their meetings on alternatives to gang violence. Four people were wounded, including an 11-year-old boy.

Held in Shooting

A 16-year-old suspect, identified by police as a Pomona gang member, was arrested by police in connection with the shooting.

“The shooting has had an effect,” said Manuel Cervantez, 26, director of the church’s rehabilitation center for men. “It’s going to take a little extra effort on our part because people are scared.”

Cervantez said about 35 of the church’s 100 members usually turn out on Saturday afternoon to pass out leaflets about the 20-year-old organization. Only eight men volunteered this weekend. They gathered in the group’s store-front church on Mission Street to pray and sing before driving to the Collingswood area of Pomona to spread their gospel.

“Sure, I’m scared, but I don’t know where I’d be if it weren’t for Jesus Christ and this church in my life,” said Bobby Cruz, 24, a tire factory worker and former cocaine addict who has been with the group for six years. “This type of thing will keep going on unless we present people with an alternative.”

Cruz said group members would avoid the neighborhood where the shooting occurred for awhile, returning only during the day in the future. The Pomona church was showing a movie, “The Duke of Earl,” after dusk on the garage door of a house adjoining Harrison Park when the shooting occurred. The movie is about a man who quits his gang after becoming a Christian.

Richard Hayes, owner of the home where the film was shown, said Victory Outreach members had knocked on his door Thursday morning to ask him if they could use his garage door. He said he had let them use his electric outlets in the past to show the film in the park, but windy conditions prevented the church from hanging the movie screen from a tree.

“I think Victory Outreach is doing what needs to be done by swinging gang-oriented kids to something more positive,” Hayes said. “But it’s such a scary situation, I don’t think I’ll let them use my door again.”

Neighbors’ Concern

Some of Hayes’ neighbors shared his sentiments.

“It’s not their fault but I don’t think they should come back,” said Esther Fuentes, 18, whose 11-year-old nephew, Alfred Hernandez, was wounded in the attack by a bullet that grazed the right side of his lower back. “If they do, they should show it indoors.”

Ralph Parker, 36, a repairman who also was wounded in the incident, said he walked over with his 14-year-old son from his home on a nearby street to see the movie. Parker was listed in fair condition in Queen of the Valley Hospital after a bullet pierced his left hip.

“I doubt if I’ll ever go to one of their events again,” Parker said. “I don’t want to take a chance with my son’s or my own life.”

But not all of the reaction was negative.

“I’m on junk,” whispered one man outside the liquor store as Aguilar handed him a leaflet.

“I was too,” Aguilar said.

“Yeah, man? Well, I guess you know what’s happening,” he said, shaking hands with Aguilar. “Maybe I’ll drop by your church one of these days.”