3 Arrested in Death Attributed to Gangs : Crime: Suspects were picked up in Washington state. Police say the slaying was racially motivated.

FULLERTON — Three people, including a Fullerton Union High School student, have been arrested in Washington state on suspicion of fatally shooting another Fullerton High student as he walked home Friday, in what police called a racially motivated gang attack.

The suspects were arrested without incident at 7 p.m. Tuesday by Thurston County sheriff’s deputies as they walked in a mall parking lot.

“They were surprised to see us,” Detective Ed Thompson said Wednesday. “We had them surrounded, so they just gave up. We traced them through a car with California registration that sources told us they had driven to this area.”

Charged in the death of 15-year-old Angel Gonzalez are Thien Nguyen (Jimmy) Dao 20, of Fullerton; Sieu Fhong (Tom) Ngo, age unknown, of Rowland Heights; and a 15-year-old Fullerton High student, whose name was not released because of his age. All are reputed members of Asian street gangs, while the victim reportedly associated with Latino gang members, authorities said.

The three remain in custody in Washington without bail pending an extradition hearing.

Deputies confiscated two handguns from the suspects, including the weapon used to shoot Gonzalez, officials said. The guns had been stolen in burglaries in Thurston County three weeks ago by the 15-year-old, shortly before he moved to Fullerton, officials said.

Two other suspects, No Muhamed, 20, and his 18-year-old brother, Usumang Muhamed, both of Fullerton, remained at large Wednesday and are sought in Thurston County, which is about 50 miles south of Seattle.

“We think we have identified all of the suspects,” Fullerton Sgt.

Neal Baldwin said. “A witness (to the shooting) had the presence of mind to take down the license plate number of the getaway car. Once we traced that, we were able to determine who we think was in the car on Friday and involved in the shooting.”

Gonzalez died shortly after 3 p.m. on the front lawn of a Pomona Avenue dental office, about a block south of Fullerton Union High School. Witnesses said he was jumped, beaten and then shot twice in the back by four to six Asian youths who first yelled racial slurs at him.

Gonzalez may have been part of a group of Latino youngsters who had a noontime confrontation Friday with a number of Asian youths at a nearby McDonald’s restaurant, which may have led to the attack, police said.

After Gonzalez was shot, witnesses said, his attackers sped away in a blue 1980 Chevrolet Camaro, which police recovered Monday in Newport Beach. Its interior had been burned in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence, police said. The suspects then switched to a second car for the trip to Washington, officials said.

Gonzalez family members said they were relieved to learn of the arrests. Friends and relatives described the youth as a talented artist and a sports enthusiast who didn’t cause trouble. He was also the disc jockey at neighborhood dances.