Police Search for Arcade Gunman : Crime: Assailant wounded three youths in a drive-by shooting in Fountain Valley that is linked to gangs.

Police continued their search Saturday for a gunman who wounded three teen-agers in a drive-by shooting at the Family Fun Center arcade.

Security was increased at the facility on Recreation Circle in this usually quiet suburban community, which also was home to the fatal shooting of two women at a small embroidery business on Thursday.

Family Fun Center Manager Paul Johansson said business was already “back to normal” despite the gunfire that hit three youths Friday evening and frightened many patrons.

“Saturday is one of our busier days,” Johansson said. “We try to keep it safe around here, so our security will be visibly present and stepped up a bit.”

Paul Segovia, 13, played video games about noon inside the arcade Saturday. “I always think that something like last night is going to happen,” he said. “I usually come here early, during the day, because I think there’s fewer crazies around. . . . My parents didn’t want me here today, but you know, they worry too much anyway. . . . I tell them it’s safer here than on the streets.”

“We have to hang (out) somewhere and have fun,” added his friend, Sandra Cardinale, 14. “I get tired of the mall and the beach all the time. At the mall, we get hassled by security. . . . Here they leave us alone.”

Most youths said they were unaware of the shooting until they got to the entertainment complex Saturday. The arcade, which has bumper boats and batting cages, attracts large crowds of children, teen-agers and couples, especially on weekends.

Undercover and uniformed officers regularly patrol the site.

“I guess this is a sign that maybe it’s not safe anywhere anymore,” said Jennifer Hagen, who dropped off her son Jeff and a friend at the arcade. “But I don’t know what you can do--I certainly don’t want to lock my kids inside the house 24 hours a day.”

In the 7:45 p.m. shooting, a gunman leaned from a car in the parking lot and sprayed about seven bullets in the direction of the youths, who were about 25 feet away, police and witnesses said.

Two cars then sped from the parking lot and drove north on Magnolia Street, police said.

Police said they believe the shooting was gang-related.

Because the victims--ages 13, 15 and 17--are juveniles, police declined to identify them.

The youths were hit by bullets from a semiautomatic handgun in the leg, hand and shoulder and were hospitalized, police said. Their conditions could not be learned Saturday

One witness said he saw one car, loaded with about seven people, drive through the parking lot twice before the shooting began. He said he saw the victims flash gang signs with their hands and then he heard the pop of gunfire.

Police said the center is not known for frequent gang activity.

The shooting caps a week of violence in Orange County.

Besides the double fatal shooting here Thursday, a 13-year-old girl was shot in the back and seriously wounded as she walked with friends inside Westminster Mall on Wednesday. And on Tuesday, two brothers, ages 4 and 7, were wounded when they strayed into a gang cross-fire in Anaheim.