HUNTINGTON BEACH : Business Owner Is Shot by Intruder

The 54-year-old owner of a contracting business was shot twice by an intruder shortly after he arrived at work Thursday morning, police said.

The victim, Dwight Ferguson of Huntington Beach, was taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange, where he was in fair condition late Thursday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The shooting took place just before 8 a.m. inside Southern California Construction, in the 15000 block of Computer Lane, said Police Lt. Charles Poe.

“When (Ferguson) showed up for work, he walked towards the back of the business, and someone came out of the dark and shot him twice,” Poe said.

The gunman fled, and Ferguson staggered across the street to get help.

“I looked out the window and I saw him in the street, so I tapped on the window and told him to come inside,” said Don Gascoigne, who called paramedics. “He looked terrible, like he was going to collapse. I asked him if he needed anything, and he asked for a cup of coffee.”

Gascoigne said that Ferguson, who was shot once in the chest and once in the side, was able to provide some details of the shooting to police over the speaker phone.

“He said someone was in there waiting for him,” Gascoigne said. “He didn’t know who the guy was or why he was there.”

Police said they were unable to determine a motive for the attack because they had not yet been able to interview the victim in depth.

“It could be anything,” Poe said. The gunman “could be a random robber or someone who was there to kill the guy.”

Ferguson’s company was open for business several hours after the shooting. An employee who declined to be identified said it appeared that Ferguson may have walked in on a burglary in progress.

The gunman was described as a Latino, 25 to 28 years old, 5 feet, 5 inches tall, about 140 pounds, with collar-length black hair. He was wearing dark pants, a red jacket, yellow socks and brown shoes, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at (714) 536-5951.