3 Suspected Gang Members Held in Tustin Clerk’s Shooting : Crime: One is nabbed after being detained by the store employee for allegedly stealing beer. The other two arrived later and retaliated with a gun, police say.

A gang member seriously wounded a convenience store clerk in an apparent retaliation for the clerk having a fellow gang member arrested on theft charges, police said.

Norberto Ela, 41, of Tustin was in stable but serious condition at Western Medical Center-Santa Ana on Thursday, according to Lt. Frank Semelsberger of the Tustin Police Department. Ela suffered gunshot wounds to the chest and neck, police said.

Three gang members, all juveniles whose names are being withheld because of their ages, were in custody Thursday in Orange County Juvenile Hall on a variety of charges growing out of the two incidents, Semelsberger said.

At 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, the clerk confronted two juvenile males, who were allegedly trying to steal beer at a 7-Eleven store at 610 W. 1st St., Semelsberger said. The clerk physically restrained one juvenile suspect until police arrived, but the other youth fled, police said, joining a third gang member waiting outside in a car.

The youth detained by the clerk was charged with attempted robbery and is being held in Orange County Juvenile Hall, police said.

About 11:20 that same night, two other gang members returned to the store, police said. Semelsberger said a lone gunman entered and opened fire on the clerk at close range, hitting him in the neck.

Despite his wound, Ela was able to call police, who arrived within two minutes. Sgt. Mark Bergquist administered first aid to Ela, controlling the profuse bleeding and treating him for shock and severe trauma.

“We believe Sgt. Bergquist’s action prevented him from dying,” Semelsberger said.

Subsequent investigation led Tustin police Thursday morning to a car parked in a residential area of Santa Ana. Two gang members were arrested without incident on suspicion of attempted murder, police said.

“They have confessed to their roles,” Semelsberger said. “One, the 17-year-old, indicated he was the driver. The other, the 16-year-old, indicated he was the shooter.”

Police said the gunman is in the same gang as the arrested juvenile.

“It appears to be revenge,” said Semelsberger. “He just walked right up to him (clerk) and shot him. . . . The two separate incidents are related because they were all in the same gang.”