2 Youths Shot, Killed in Car in Santa Ana : Crime: A neighbor had called to report the vehicle idling in the street. Police find the driver dead in his seat and the passenger nearby. Authorities believe the incident is gang-related.

One youth was shot and killed as he sat in the driver’s seat of a car early Sunday, and his wounded teen-age passenger died after stumbling from the vehicle onto the sidewalk, according to police.

Police said they expected a routine call--not a homicide scene--when they arrived at a home in the 2000 block of Baker Street about 1:45 a.m. after a resident reported that a car was left idling in the middle of the street with its stereo blasting, the headlights on and passenger door ajar.

But when officers arrived, they found a body slumped inside and a trail of blood leading from the passenger door to a second youth.

Police are withholding the names of the victims, aged 17 and 19, until their families are notified.

Authorities believe the shooting was gang-related, a sentiment echoed by neighbors.

“There have been drive-by (shootings) here, and you hear shots at night pretty often,” said Christina Jarrard, 21. Two gangs have been spray-painting over each others’ graffiti on a prominent fence in the neighborhood within the past month, she said, and the area has many weekend-night cruisers.

Jackie Jarrard, Christina’s mother, reported the stranded white Nissan Sentra to police when she arrived home early Sunday morning, and didn’t know about the shootings until she later saw the 19-year-old driver’s body leaning back in the seat. He had been shot in the chest, police said.

Early Sunday afternoon, blood still spattered grass lawns and children used leftover yellow police tape to tie together supermarket carts and wheeled each other around the neighborhood.

Members of another family in the neighborhood of ranch-style homes reported having heard about seven shots and stayed inside to remain safe.

Later, when police helicopters arrived, they ventured outside and saw the Nissan Sentra with bullet holes in the back and left rear windows, as well as the hood, they said.

Christina and Jackie Jarrard pointed out the path the car’s passenger took after he got out of the car. “He crossed the lawn, here,” Christina Jarrard motioned, walking from the street to the curb.

The 17-year-old victim stumbled across the lawn toward their house, where the lights were on, but no one was home. Blood drops suggest he turned and tried to reach another house, but fell face down on the sidewalk, where police found him.

“The second victim was also shot in the chest and died at the scene,” said Sgt. Brian Collins, who added the incident appeared to be gang-related.

No weapons were recovered, he said, and gang investigators have not determined a motive or identified suspects in the shooting.

Jackie Jarrard said loud “cruising” music--tunes with a throbbing bass beat--had been blasting from the car when she got home. Her daughter said drivers often clog Baker Street and other side routes near Bristol Street, a traditional weekend cruising site.

“Cruising is about seeing people you know, meeting people,” said Christina Jarrard, who used to participate in the ritual. “It’s a big pickup bar.”

Police have said cruising alone does not draw crime; but several past gang-related shootings on nearby side streets have taken place on cruising nights.