Teen Dies in Drive-By Shooting in Santa Ana

A teen-ager died Saturday after he was shot outside a Santa Ana house by a group of men using three handguns, authorities said.

Duy Duc Vu, 14, of Westminster was shot once in the head shortly before midnight Friday in the 600 block of South Corta Drive, a quiet Santa Ana cul-de-sac.

Authorities said he had attended a birthday party earlier that evening, but they did not know why he was visiting the Corta Drive house.

Witnesses said a group of five cars stopped near the house. Three or four men got out and opened fire on a crowd of people, firing several times but striking only Vu, police said.

“There was a group standing on the apron of the driveway,” Santa Ana Police Sgt. Rich Murg said. “They had apparently just returned from a birthday party when this caravan came down the street, stopped and opened fire.”

Murg said that investigators are looking for three unidentified Vietnamese men. The assailants used three handguns of unknown caliber, firing several rounds.

“At this time, we have absolutely no idea what the motive was,” Murg said.

Investigators said there was no initial evidence that the incident was gang-related, Murg said.

Vu was taken to Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center, where he died at 4:30 p.m., a hospital spokeswoman said.

At the cul-de-sac in Santa Ana, neighbors late Saturday afternoon expressed shock and concern.

“I’m kind of spooked about it,” said one, William Burns. “We’ve never had anything like this in this neighborhood. It’s usually pretty quiet around (here).”

Echoing Burns was Corina Marquez, who has lived for 20 years next to the house where the shooting took place.

Marquez said that she was awakened by the sound of gunshots and immediately called the police. When Marquez looked out her window, she saw someone lying in the street, but did not see any cars.

“I’m scared. I’m still scared,” Marquez said. “When you live here (for) 20 years and all of a sudden there’s a shooting in your neighborhood, it kind of shakes you up.”