Friends Vow Revenge for Drive-By Shooting of Youth

The drive-by shooting of a 15-year-old Santa Paula youth spurred vows of revenge from his friends Monday, while police maintained there was no evidence the shooting was gang-related.

Mario Garcia, who was shot at 9:08 p.m. Sunday, was in satisfactory condition Monday. The incident occurred when a youth in a car packed with teen-agers opened fire on another group of teen-agers outside Mario’s house, police said.

Mario was hit once in the left buttock while standing on the corner of 13th and Main streets, Santa Paula Police Cmdr. Bob Gonzales said. The gunman was in a small orange car, which was traveling with a brown Cadillac. Both vehicles were crammed with teen-agers, witnesses said.

The cars drove slowly past the six to eight teen-agers on foot several times, making U-turns a block from Mario’s house before returning to open fire, said one witness, who would identify himself only as Ernie.

He said the orange car stopped in front of the teen-agers, and the passengers shouted insults against the city of Santa Paula before one of them opened fire.

At least seven shots were fired, one of which hit Mario, witnesses said. The bullet passed through the boy’s body and came out his upper thigh, Gonzales said. Mario was taken to Santa Paula Memorial Hospital, where he underwent immediate surgery.

Mario was confined to an intensive care unit and visitors were limited to his immediate family.

Although police said there was no proof the shooting was the latest in a series of gang-related incidents in the city, several local gang members who were visiting at the hospital Monday said they would retaliate.

“Whoever did this is going down,” said one youth who said he belonged to the SP 13th Street gang. The youth was one of about 10 boys and girls who were at the hospital wearing their gang colors: black shirts, black trousers and baseball caps and jackets with the Los Angeles Raiders football team logo.

Gonzales was at a loss to pinpoint a motive for the shooting.

“There’s no reason to allege it was gang-related because there was no reason for retaliation,” he said. “Garcia hadn’t done anything to provoke the shooting.”

The police commander said he was worried about the Santa Paula youths’ promise to retaliate.

“It’s a shame they’re talking revenge without knowing who did it,” he said. “I feel sorry for the innocent person who might get shot as a result of this. You have to question the value these kids put on human life. This whole thing’s crazy.”

The gang members at the hospital said they had no idea who shot at them--only that the perpetrator was from out of town. “We’ve never seen those cars before, so we know they’re not from Santa Paula,” one of them said.

Mario’s mother, Margie Garcia, said she hoped her son’s friends would find the guilty party, but was worried that a blood bath might ensue.

“I hope they get caught so they can’t harm other people,” she said.

“I’ve told the boys to find out and let me know so I can inform the police. I know the boys will discover them,” she said. “I told them not to retaliate. Revenge never leads to anything.”

Garcia said Mario was the only one of her six sons and daughters still living with her. She said three of her sons, all younger than 17, were serving time for theft and drug offenses.

She said Mario hates drugs and stays out of trouble. “He was very close to me and now he needs me more than ever,” Garcia said quietly in Spanish, wiping away tears as she spoke.

Margie Garcia, a single mother on welfare, said the city should provide programs to help low-income mothers like herself keep their children out of gangs. “The reality is that there’s nothing here for kids to do, other than being on the streets.”

Gonzales said Sunday’s shooting could be the third serious incident this year involving gang members.

In May, a Santa Paula man was shot to death by a next-door neighbor, allegedly after quarreling over their respective sons, who police said were affiliated with gangs. Delfino Lopez was not charged because witnesses said the victim was armed and Lopez acted in self-defense.

On July 4, a Santa Paula youth was stabbed during a gang altercation at a party, Gonzales said.

Times staff writer Carol Watson contributed to this story.