2 Men Arrested in Shooting of 5-Year-Old

Two Santa Ana men have been arrested in connection with an alleged gang shooting Sunday night that wounded a 5-year-old boy playing nearby.

Richard William Hernandez, 21, and Roger Arenas, 18, were booked late Sunday on suspicion of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, Lt. Robert Helton said. He said both are gang members.

Five-year-old Jonathan Garcia remained hospitalized in good condition Monday at UCI Medical Center in Orange. The child suffered a superficial wound in the lower back when he was struck by a stray pellet from a shotgun blast that Arenas allegedly fired at a passing car.

Police said the shooting stemmed from a gang fight earlier in the day. As a car with rival gang members passed near the intersection of Pomona and Townsend streets late Sunday afternoon, Arenas ran out of his house with the shotgun and fired once, Helton said. A stray pellet pierced the boy’s back as he played in his driveway nearby.

Hernandez, who was at Arenas’ house at the time, is being held as an accomplice, Helton said. Both man were being held on $250,000 bail. Helton said the weapon was not found.

Police have released one other suspect held for questioning.