Mother, 3 Children Hurt at San Fernando Park as Rival Gangs Open Fire

A mother and her three children were hit by shotgun pellets when they were caught in the cross-fire of a gunfight between rival gangs in San Fernando’s Friendship Park, police said Thursday.

Enriqueta Duran, 30, of San Fernando and her children suffered minor gunshot wounds during the battle in the park near Hollister and Huntington streets about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, San Fernando Police Sgt. Ken Belden said.

Duran’s son, Hugo, and daughter, Melina, both 9, were airlifted to Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles after the shooting.

Melina, wounded in the abdomen and left hand, was in good condition Thursday, nursing supervisor Gayle Coffey said. Hugo was treated and released.

Duran and another son, Hector, 8, were released after treatment at Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, nursing supervisor Gari Reed said.

Two suspects were questioned by police, but there were no arrests Thursday, Belden said.

Witnesses said the Durans were walking toward the edge of Friendship Park when several gang members ran up from different directions and began shooting at rivals playing basketball in the park.

“She was just walking along and those guys started shooting,” said Marcos Corea, 26, who lives nearby. In the darkness, “I guess they saw her and the kids and thought they were in the other gang,” he said.

Friendship Park, a section of Las Palmas Park, is the site of recent renovation efforts by community activists, including construction of an $80,000 playground.

Corea and two other neighbors said their families would continue to avoid the park because of gang activity.

“No more families are going to take their kids there any more--it’s not safe,” said Corea, the father of two small children.