Youth Is Shot in Apparent Gang Attack

After six weeks of relative calm, gang violence apparently exploded Sunday night in Santa Ana when a suspected member of one gang was shot and critically wounded by suspected members of a rival gang, police reported.

The shooting victim, 19, whose name was being withheld pending notification of relatives, was rushed to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana after the 7:30 p.m. shooting in the 900 block of South Standard Street, Santa Ana Police Lt. Jack Nelson said. He was listed in critical condition and was being kept on life supports, Nelson said.

The 19-year-old was standing on the street when he was approached by eight youths, Nelson said. He was then shot once in the back of the head with a small-caliber handgun, and the assailants fled the scene, Nelson said. Police were seeking the assailants late Sunday night.

Although an investigation of the incident was just beginning, a law enforcement source said the shooting victim was believed to be a member of the F Troop gang in Santa Ana, and his assailants were believed to be members of the Loper gang, which has been linked with recent outbreaks of gang violence. The shooting took place in what is considered territory claimed by the Loper gang, which consists mainly of undocumented youths from Mexico.

The shooting was the 11th apparent gang-related gunfire attack in Santa Ana so far this year.

Before Sunday, there had been six gang-related murders and four gang-related attempted murders in the city.

During a six-week period last year, Santa Ana police counted 14 gang-related shootings. One man died and 18 people were injured in that spree.

The most recent gang violence occurred on Oct. 31, when Enrique Arceo, 13, and Jesus M. Perez Jr., 17, were killed in a drive-by shooting while pedaling their bicycles to a carnival.