Local News in Brief : Santa Ana : Diner Shot to Death in Restaurant Attack
A Santa Ana man was shot to death in front of 20 horrified customers at a popular Mexican restaurant early Friday. The gunman escaped before officers arrived, police said.
Police spokesman Cliff Seward identified the victim as Florencio Castanon. He was believed to be in his early 20s, but little is known about his background. Police would only say that he lived in Santa Ana.
Although the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain sketchy, police said Castanon was apparently sitting at a table at the Casa Blanca restaurant at 323 N. Sycamore St. when a man who had been in the bar simply walked up to Castanon and shot him more than once about 12:45 a.m.
The assailant has not been identified, and it was not known if the two men knew each other.
Castanon, Seward said, died of multiple gunshot wounds fired from a small pistol or revolver.
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