Slain Man’s Son, 13, Opens Fire on Fleeing Gunmen

SANTA ANA — A 13-year-old boy opened fire on two fleeing men who had shot his father to death Wednesday at the family’s home following an argument, police said.

The two men remain at large, but their abandoned car was found covered with blood and bullet holes, police said.

The men had entered the home of Nectali G. Bravo, 43, in the 2000 block of South Artesia Street about noon, and “some kind of a confrontation” occurred, Lt. Bob Helton said. It is not clear whether Bravo knew the men.

When they approached his father threateningly, the boy ran to a bedroom closet and got a rifle, Helton said. He returned to find his father sprawled on the garage floor and the men pulling out of the driveway. The boy fired more than 10 shots, Helton said.

The car was found later at Pacific and Edinger avenues.

“Blood was all over the vehicle,” Helton said. “The passenger window was totally blown out, and there were bullet holes in the windshield.”

Bravo’s wife and another woman, believed to be his mother, were in the house during the shooting but were not injured.

Bravo worked in the jewelry business, according to a family friend.

His 23-year-old daughter, who was at work, “went into total collapse,” said Michael Del Rey, vice president of Newsmakers, where she is an art director.

“They are an ‘Ozzie and Harriet’ kind of a family,” Del Rey said. “It couldn’t come at a worse time--they were hours away from celebrating Thanksgiving.”

A fund to help the family through the holidays has been established by Newsmakers. For more information, call (714) 574-7900.