2 Gang Members Held in Drive-By Slaying

Two teen-age gang members were arrested in the weekend slaying of a 17-year-old girl who was shot to death while riding with friends in a car in Pacoima, Los Angeles police said Wednesday.

Martin Mendoza, 19, of Pacoima and a 17-year-old Panorama City boy were arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of murder in the death of Carmen De La Cruz of Sepulveda, police said. A third suspect in the death is still being sought.

Detective Marshall White said De La Cruz, who was not a gang member, was riding in a car with three gang members in the 10900 block of Glenoaks Boulevard at 1:30 p.m. Sunday when a car containing the suspects--members of an opposing gang--drove by.

Words and gang signals were exchanged between the people in the cars. Shots were then fired into the car De La Cruz was in and she was fatally wounded, White said. No one else was injured.

Police were led to the suspects through descriptions of the suspects’ car obtained from witnesses, White said. The juvenile, who was being held at Sylmar Juvenile Hall, voluntarily surrendered at the Foothill police station and Mendoza was arrested at his home. Mendoza was being held without bail at the Foothill jail.