Boy, 15, Killed, 2 Others Hurt in Shooting : Violence: Gunman fires into crowd of about 300 youths at Canoga Park car cruiser hangout. Gang dispute is blamed.

A 15-year-old boy was fatally shot and two other youths wounded by gunfire at a popular car cruiser hangout, authorities said Saturday.

Los Angeles police said the 11 p.m. Friday shooting was touched off by a fight between rival gang members among the 300 people congregating in a parking lot at Roscoe Boulevard and DeSoto Avenue.

An unknown gunman in one car opened fire on the crowd, police said.

The 15-year-old victim was taken in a patrol car to West Valley Hospital, where he died of gunshot wounds to the upper torso, police said. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office identified the youth as Michael Banas.

Identities of the other two victims were not released Saturday. Police said they were treated for gunshot wounds to the upper torso and legs at Northridge Hospital Medical Center. One was released.

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On Saturday morning, police crime-scene tape was stretched over several spots in the parking lot of a strip mall on the northwest corner of the intersection and in front of apartments farther west on Roscoe Boulevard.

Merchants were unsure exactly what had happened, but said that Kevin’s Burgers, on DeSoto Avenue, has been the scene of the weekly car cruise for several years.

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Bertha Banuelos, manager of the restaurant, said the young people who come to show off their cars had been peaceful in the past.

She said she was cleaning up after closing at 10:45 Friday night when she heard what could have been gunshots behind a gas station across the street.

She said she saw youths running toward the noise, but did not see what happened.

An attendant at the gas station Saturday morning said the night attendant has frequently called police to complain about the youths congregating there.

“They break it up,” he said. “As soon as they leave, (the cruisers) come back,” he said.

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Devonshire Division detectives investigating the shooting were not available for comment Saturday. A statement released by police earlier said no suspect had been established.