Youth Who Tried to Stay Out of Gang Is Shot : Violence: The family of John Diaz says the Oceanside teen-ager was harassed several times by gang members before being wounded while he slept.

John Diaz refused to join a gang, despite pressure from gang members, his family says.

He nearly lost his life for his defiance, they say.

The 17-year-old Oceanside youth was shot early Monday as he slept in his bedroom. Police and relatives say it was in retaliation for refusing to join a gang.

Diaz is in serious but stable condition at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, said Dr. Sam Filiciotto, a hospital surgeon. The bullet traveled from his abdomen to his heart and lodged in his left ventricle, Filiciotto said.

John Diaz was asleep in his bed about 1:15 a.m. when someone fired a bullet from a small-caliber handgun through the rear window of his home in the 5000 block of Macario Drive, police said. His younger brother and sister were also asleep in the room but were unharmed.

When his 78-year-old grandfather, Jose Diaz, heard about the incident shortly after, he suffered a heart attack and later died at Tri-City Medical Center, hospital officials said.

Joey Diaz, the victim’s father, said he wasn’t sure if the shooting had caused the attack because Jose Diaz had a history of heart problems, “but he cried when he found out,” Diaz said.

“The officers that know that beat, and know that area, and know the family . . . said (the shooting) was gang-related,” Oceanside Police Officer Bob George said. Police “have been in contact with the family numerous times about vandalism, to their vehicle or home and gangs terrorizing the family.”

In the last six months, John Diaz had about four confrontations--verbal and physical--with local gang members who wanted him to join the Mesa Locos gang, said Octavio Barajas, the victim’s uncle.

No one has claimed responsibility for the shooting, Joey Diaz said at a press conference Tuesday, but his son’s girlfriend already has been threatened by some gang members, he said. Diaz declined to give any names of gang members, saying he did not want the girl to become a target.

At his home about two months ago, Diaz said, he, his son and a friend had an argument with five gang members believed to be from the Mesa Locos gang.

Earlier, his son had been approached by three gang members asking what gang affiliation he had, Diaz said. His son said he wasn’t with a gang, and, when they pressured him to join them, “he knocked the hell out of the three of them,” Diaz added.

In retaliation, the gang members vandalized the family car, breaking all of the windows, denting the car and causing about $3,000 damage, Diaz said.

Investigators said they have no suspects. According to police spokesman George, “two gang factions are kind of warring in that area. I hate to label any neighborhood as being bad, but that area is riddled with gang activity.”

Joey Diaz said his family will be moving to another Oceanside neighborhood by the end of July, but it is because they have already purchased a new house, not because of the shooting.

Before he leaves, Diaz said, he wants to begin a neighborhood watch or a parenting group. “Something has to be done. . . . The parents have to get involved. They have to see the change in their kids’ attitudes,” he said.

His son, Diaz said, is “very intelligent” and resisted pressure to join gangs because of his upbringing and because he has hobbies to occupy his time.

Diaz said he had expected some kind of trouble, perhaps more vandalism, but “I never figured it would come to this.”

A fund has been established to help the family pay medical bills. Interested parties can contact Security Pacific Bank at 115 N. El Camino Real in Oceanside.