Gang Setup Suspected in Shootings

One North Hollywood teen-ager was killed and a second critically wounded early Sunday in a shooting police described as an apparent setup by rival gang members, who tricked the victims into believing they belonged to a friendly gang.

Daniel Joseph Solis, 19, was pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting from multiple bullet wounds to the chest, Los Angeles Police Detective Jim Vojtecky said.

Sayeed Fayad, also 19, was taken to an area hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition, Vojtecky said. He refused to identify the medical facility out of concern that the attackers might try to hunt Fayad down.

The incident occurred about 3:30 a.m. in an alley behind the 13100 block of Victory Boulevard, where the victims and about six other members of their gang were loitering, Vojtecky said. The alley is known as a gathering spot for gang members, he said.

Three youths drove up and began exchanging words and phrases with the victims’ group in an apparent attempt to confuse them into thinking the newcomers were members of an allied gang, Vojtecky said.

The exchange of friendly passwords “put them all at ease” and the victims approached the car to talk, Vojtecky said. Suddenly, according to witnesses, the driver produced a handgun and without provocation opened fire on the group, he said.

As the three assailants drove away, one yelled out the name of a rival gang, Vojtecky said.

“It sounds like a setup,” he said.

Vojtecky said police have no suspects but are trying to talk to members of the gang whose name was shouted from the car. He refused to identify the groups in question, saying it was Police Department policy not to give gangs publicity.