Man Standing in Santa Ana Doorway Is Shot in the Head by Gunman in Car

A 20-year-old man standing in a garage doorway in Santa Ana was shot in the head early Sunday by someone in a passing car.

Police said Ralph Moore was on life-support systems Sunday night at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital with massive head injuries.

Lt. Jack Nelson said Moore and a friend were standing in a doorway at 328 S. Jackson St. about 1:30 a.m. when they saw a car chasing another southbound and several people in each car yelling obscenities.

When the lead car tried to make a U-turn, the pursuing car blocked it, and more shouting broke out as Moore and the friend watched, Nelson said. The cars then returned northbound on Jackson Street, and the first one stopped in front of Moore. Two or three shots were fired from the car, Nelson said, and one struck Moore in the head.

Nelson said a motive was not known, but a witness said the shots appeared to be directed at Moore.

Police said Moore lives nearby on Camille Street. Moore’s mother said her son had been visiting her and his sister for about a week and planned to return home soon to Mexicali, Mexico.

A neighbor, Maria Ramirez, whose home is connected to the garage where the shooting took place, said she was watching television when she heard three shots. When she looked outside, the street was deserted, she said.

“We always hear that, though,” she said. “It always happens around here. We always hear shots.” Some neighbors said they are used to hearing shooting at night and usually don’t look outside.

“Shooting is almost an everyday occurrence,” said Isaac Collins, 32, who lives nearby. “You don’t have any reaction. It’s just someone out there shooting.”

No one has been arrested, and police said there was no evidence the shooting was gang-related.

A friend of Moore, Jimmy, 16, who did not want his last name used, said Moore did not know gang members nor that wearing the wrong color in the wrong neighborhood could be dangerous.

That evening, he said, Moore inadvertently had worn a scarf that was a gang color. “I took it out (of his pocket) and gave him a blue one,” Jimmy said.

“He’s a cool dude,” Jimmy said. “He didn’t have no problems with nobody.”