Local News in Brief : Gang Member Slain in Police Shoot-Out

Santa Monica police fatally shot one street gang member and seriously wounded another after a wild freeway car chase in which the two allegedly fired several rounds from a semiautomatic weapon at officers pursuing them, authorities said Thursday.

The two gang members, whom police had been attempting to stop for questioning in a drive-by shooting, were shot late Wednesday after their stolen car left the Santa Monica Freeway and overturned on a West Los Angeles street.

Both youths were unarmed. But investigators said their weapons--an Uzi-type assault rifle and a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol--were recovered about 15 blocks away from the crash site.

Killed was Daniel Villa, 19, of West Los Angeles who, police said, was shot by an officer as he attempted to escape. The second suspect, a juvenile, was being treated for a hip wound at County-USC Medical Center jail ward, where he was booked on suspicion of murder because of his alleged involvement in the events that led to the death of Villa, officers said.

Santa Monica Police Sgt. John Miehle said it was unclear which of the two young men, identified as members of Sotel, a Latino street gang, was driving the car. But at one point during the chase, he said, the passenger “opened the (car) door and stood up and fired. . . .”