2 Arrested After Shots Fired at Park Worker

A man and a teen-ager fired three shots at a Lancaster city park worker Thursday, possibly in retaliation for a recent crackdown on gang activity at the park, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported.

The two were arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after the worker, who was not injured, pointed them out to sheriff’s deputies shortly after the 2:15 p.m. shooting at Rawley Duntley Park, in the 3000 block of Avenue K, Deputy Dennis Diederich said. A handgun believed to have been used in the shooting was found in a car belonging to one of the suspects.

Ernest Sanchez, 24, of Lancaster was being held in lieu of $2,000 bail at the Antelope Valley sheriff’s station, Diederich said. The other suspect, a juvenile, was being held at Sylmar Juvenile Hall.

Diederich said park employees began receiving threatening telephone calls recently after the city began an intensive anti-gang effort in the park. The park’s ongoing problems with gangs have included graffiti and other types of vandalism, he said.

The employee, whose name was not released because of the threats that have been made against park employees, was working in the park when he was shot at, Diederich said.