Arcade Shooting Victim in Critical Condition

A 19-year-old man who was shot several times at an arcade remained in critical condition Friday, investigators said.

Police officers found Huy Nguyen about 8 p.m. Thursday in a pool of blood with gunshots to the head, torso and leg at the Mission Control Amusement Center in the 14300 block of Brookhurst Street. Police said they know of no motive for the shooting or if it was gang-related.

Police declined to state what hospital the victim was at. They described his condition as “extremely critical.”

The owner of a nearby market said she was not surprised by the violence.

“I knew something like this was bound to happen,” said Oanh Mai, owner of Nam Hoa Market, which is in the same strip mall as the arcade.

Mai said she was scheduled to close at 8 p.m. Thursday, but locked up just after 7 p.m. because she feared violence would erupt among the scores of rowdy teen-agers gathered at the arcade and adjoining parking lot.

“They usually meet on weekends, but also on a weekday when it’s a holiday,” Mai said. “They play the music very loud and fights would break out. I don’t feel very safe when they’re here.”

About two years ago, Mai said, more than 30 area shopkeepers signed a petition and submitted it to the shopping center’s management in an effort to stop teen-agers from loitering around the arcade. But Mai said the problems continued at the arcade, which opened more than 10 years ago.

Managers of the shopping center and the arcade could not be reached for comment.

No one has been arrested in the shooting, police said.