Freeway Shooter Fatally Wounds Driver in Anaheim

A 19-year-old man hit by a bullet fired from another car on the Riverside Freeway on Friday evening died at a nearby hospital, police said.

The victim, whose name was not released pending notification of relatives, was driving east and approaching the Orange Freeway about 6:20 p.m. when another car pulled alongside, Sgt. Paul Shepard said.

Someone from the second car opened fire, hitting the victim’s upper torso before driving off, Shepard said.

The victim continued driving a short distance before crashing into the center divider, police said. He was taken to Anaheim Memorial Hospital, where he died a short time later.

A passenger in his car was not hurt, Shepard said.

Two lanes on the freeway were closed for a couple of hours while investigators looked for evidence.

The shooting came 24 hours after two young men were struck by bullets from a passing car on Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach.

Random freeway shootings in Orange County have been rare since 1987, when a rash of such violence swept Southern California. Five people were killed and 16 wounded during the spate of shootings that spring and summer, which ended as abruptly as they began.