Violent Weekend Leads to 1 Death, 3 Arrests : Crime: Rival gangs are linked to 2 drive-by shootings. Police are investigating 3 other incidents to see if they are related.

A 19-year-old Atwater man was killed and three suspects were arrested during a weekend of gang violence that included five drive-by shootings, police said.

Two of the drive-by shootings took place within a block of each other--near Avenue 34 and Verdugo Road--and involved the same two rival gangs, said Detective James McCann of the Los Angeles Police Department. Police are investigating the other three incidents to see whether they are related, he said.

The violence began Friday evening when four members of one gang drove by a house at 2706 1/2 W. Avenue 34 and opened fire, McCann said. Several rival gang members inside the house were armed and returned the fire, he said.

During the shoot-out, 19-year-old Anthony Marquez, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the car, was fatally shot, McCann said. The other youths in the car drove to his home in the 2900 block of Glenhurst Avenue and left Marquez in the car in the driveway, telling his mother that Marquez needed medical help, McCann said.

Marquez died several minutes later, McCann said.

A 17-year-old youth who police say belonged to Marquez’s gang has been accused of murder in Marquez’s death. Police held the youth accountable under a “precarious liability” statute, alleging that Marquez was killed during the commission of a felony that the youth helped to plan and execute, McCann said.

The youth, whose name was withheld because he is a juvenile, is being held in Eastlake Juvenile Hall and was scheduled to be arraigned this week. He faces charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon and firing into an inhabited dwelling, McCann said.

On Monday afternoon, about six youths who police say were members of Marquez’s gang were standing in front of a market at Avenue 34 and Verdugo Road when several youths from a rival gang drove by in a pickup truck and fired on them, McCann said. Witnesses told police that four of the six youths on foot were armed and fired back, he said.

The youths ran into a nearby lot, stashed their weapons in some refuse, then forced their way into a woman’s home at 3322 Verdugo Road and hid inside, McCann said.

Witnesses told police that they saw a youth with a gunshot wound to his stomach running away and clutching a gun, McCann said, but police so far have been unable to confirm the injury.

When police arrived at the woman’s house, they were able to get her and her children out, McCann said, but the youths refused to emerge until about an hour later when a police SWAT team threatened to enter.

Police questioned 10 youths from the two gangs and arrested two of the six who had hidden inside the house, McCann said.

Max Figueroa, 21, was arrested on suspicion of possessing a weapon in violation of his parole, McCann said. A 15-year-old, whose name was withheld because he is a juvenile, was arrested on suspicion of discharging a firearm in a negligent manner, carrying a concealed weapon and receiving stolen property, McCann said.

In another drive-by shooting on Saturday, 20-year-old Johnny Rivera was shot at a bus stop, McCann said.

Rivera was standing with three friends in front of a 7-Eleven store at Avenue 51 and Figueroa Street about 2:30 a.m. Saturday when several youths drove by in a black car and fired one shot out the window, witnesses told police. Rivera ran one block and collapsed where police found him, McCann said.

Rivera was taken to County-USC General Hospital, where he was reported in stable condition Wednesday.

Police also are investigating two drive-by shootings that took place late Monday night within a block of Monday afternoon’s street shoot-out, McCann said. No injuries were reported in those incidents, he said.