Youth Wounded by Gunshot

A youth was wounded Sunday afternoon by a gunshot to the chest as he tried to flee an unknown assailant, police said.

The shooting occurred about 1 p.m. as the 16-year-old and another teen-ager sat on a wall in front of a home in the 400 block of North Walnut Street, Police Sgt. Ray Breur said. The pair saw a man walking toward them and tried to flee before the attacker opened fire with a handgun, Breur said.

“They saw the suspect approach and the two of them decided it was time to run,” Breur said. “Shots were fired and one of them was hit in the chest.”

The other youth was unhurt. The assailant, described as a male Latino with a shaved head, fled on foot, Breur said.

“The shooting was most definitely gang-related,” Sgt. Vernon Mangels said.

The wounded boy, whose name was not released, was flown by helicopter to UCI Medical Center in Orange for treatment. His condition was unknown, Breur said.

Several people witnessed the shooting, Breur said. The incident remains under investigation.