SANTA ANA : Residents Say Police Slow in Responding

The Police Department is investigating complaints that officers were slow in responding to a brawl in which a 17-year-old youth was killed.

The youth, who remained unidentified Monday, was fatally shot in the chest late Saturday night at a wedding reception at a house in the 1300 block of South Rosewood Avenue. Another unidentified youth received gunshot wounds and is in serious condition at Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo.

The shooting occurred three days after Santa Ana police announced that gang violence was on the decline. It was a record 13th gang-related killing this year in the city.

Some residents continued to express anger Monday at the way police handled the call.

“I still believe a life could have been saved if they had gotten here when they were called out,” said Frank Balderrama, who lives on the same street.

Balderrama said he called 911 four times to report the scene that preceded the killing.

“They (police) asked me if I was willing to sign a complaint,” Balderrama said. “I told them they had a riot on their hands. Let them produce the tapes and show us what these so-called emergencies were” that delayed the arrival of police.

Santa Ana police had no immediate response to the charges beyond saying that officers are reviewing the 911 tapes.

“We are gathering information about the calls to see how many there were and when they were received,” Lt. Robert Helton said.