2 Men Shot and Wounded in Santa Ana; Gunman Escapes

Two men were shot and wounded--one seriously--outside the county Hall of Administration Sunday night when an argument turned violent, police said.

Both victims were airlifted to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana by a helicopter that landed on Broadway next to the Civic Center minutes after the 7 p.m. shooting. Hospital officials said one of the victims, a Santa Ana resident who was shot in the shoulder, was in serious condition. The other was in guarded condition with a chest wound.

Two anonymous callers alerted police to the crime, saying that one of the victims was near the doorstep to the Hall of Administration and the other was about a block away near 4th Street and Broadway, Sgt. Bob Clark said.

Police did not identify the victims and were still searching for the gunman late Sunday night. Both victims were described as male Latinos in their early to middle 30s. Authorities said they did not know what the victims had been arguing about with the gunman.

Santa Ana Police Sgt. Dave Petko said a third male Latino got into an argument with the victims, shot them both and fled with the gun.