Teen-Ager Shot in Knee in San Clemente : Violence: The attack appears to be gang-related, police say. Witnesses were unhurt in the shooting.

A 16-year-old boy was shot and wounded in the knee in an apparent gang-related attack, police said Monday.

The boy, whom police have not identified, had been arrested and released in connection with an Oct. 15 attack that left 17-year-old San Clemente High School student Steve Woods critically injured. But Sheriff’s Lt. Tom Davis said he believed that the Sunday night shooting was “a completely separate incident, not connected to the Steve Woods incident in any shape or form.”

Shortly before the shooting, Davis said, an older, maroon Honda containing four or five male occupants driving in the 100 block of Escalones slowed and the occupants talked to a pedestrian.

Three to five shots then were fired from the car, but the pedestrian was not hit. Davis said the targeted youth is a relative of two youths who were arrested in the Woods case. But again, police said they do not believe the attacks are related.

The car then proceeded several blocks, to Plaza Park, slowing near three other youths.

Plaza Park is in an area where there has been gang activity, Davis said.

“There were some gang slogans shouted, or gang yelling,” Davis said, and three more shots were fired from the Honda. Witnesses said the car’s occupants identified themselves as members of a rival gang from San Juan Capistrano, Davis said.

The victim, one of the three youths, was shot through his right kneecap, Davis said, and taken by a witness to Samaritan Medical Center-San ClementeC where he was treated and released.

Davis said that police believe that neither of the two witnesses standing near the 16-year-old at the time of the shooting are affiliated with gangs.