LOCAL : 5 Men Wounded in Santa Ana as Gunman Sprays Bar With Bullets

Five men were wounded--three of them critically--when a gunman sprayed a Santa Ana neighborhood bar with bullets early this morning, Santa Ana Police said.

Steven M. Sayles, 38, of Colton was near death at a local hospital from a bullet wound to his chest, Santa Ana police spokeswoman Maureen Thomas said. He was not expected to live, Lt. Earl Porter said.

Sayles and the other victims were inside the Red Baron bar in the 1800 block of South Main Street in Santa Ana when the 12:05 a.m. attack occurred, Thomas said.

“He just stuck his hand inside the door and started shooting randomly at the patrons inside,” Thomas said.

The injured patrons were taken to area hospitals, Thomas said.

Also injured critically were Jorge Guardado, 25, and Francisco Munoz, 29, both of Santa Ana.

Listed in stable condition are Fillimon Covarubias, 21, and Juan Ruvio, 42, also of Santa Ana, Thomas said.

Thomas said investigators were puzzled by the possible motive because the gunman did not actually enter the bar or say anything. Furthermore, patrons of the bar were unable to give accurate descriptions of the assailant.

“It doesn’t appear to be robbery or anything like,” Thomas said. “We are trying to determine whether he had been in the bar earlier.’