Man, 19, Hit by Gunfire in Santa Paula : Crime: Shot is fired from a passing white car. Victim, who was driving another vehicle, is in critical condition.

A Fillmore man was shot through the neck Wednesday afternoon by a passenger of another car as he drove through Santa Paula in a car with four other Fillmore residents, authorities said.

Melvin Downs, 19, was listed in critical condition Wednesday evening at Ventura County Medical Center.

A second occupant of the car suffered minor injuries to his left hand in the same shooting, said Lt. Richard Purnell of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. No suspects had been arrested by Wednesday evening, Purnell said.

According to witnesses and investigators, the shooting occurred about 2:55 p.m. Wednesday as Downs and four passengers drove east in the 1400 block of Harvard Boulevard.

Following Downs’ vehicle was a white compact car with four occupants, Purnell said. Witnesses said they did not hear any shouting or other warning before the shooting occurred.

“They were in one lane, and the white car pulled alongside, and I heard a ‘bang,’ ” said a witness who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation.

Downs slumped over and his car swerved down Harvard Street, the witness said, as the white car sped off toward the east.

Downs made a U-turn and pulled over, the witness said. Another youth in the car pulled off his T-shirt and wrapped it around the Downs’ neck to staunch the blood.

The witness, who works at Santa Paula High School, said he saw the two cars driving near the school about 45 minutes before the shooting. Police said Wednesday evening that the motive for the shooting was unclear and that there is no indication that Downs was involved in gang activity.

Robert Fisher, principal of Santa Paula High, said Wednesday evening that he hadn’t heard anything about the shooting, which occurred about a mile from campus.

“This doesn’t have anything to do with Santa Paula High School, I can tell you that much,” he said.

Representatives from a school-accreditation committee were on campus this week, he said. “We got complimented for having a safe campus and were commended for having a positive attitude with the kids and the staff,” he said.

Times correspondents Patrick McCartney and Jeff McDonald contributed to this story.