Man Slain in Gunfight on Residential Street

A man was killed Sunday morning in a gun battle that left numerous shell casings strewn on a residential street and bullet holes in several parked cars, police said.

Police have not ruled out robbery as a motive in the death of Cupertino Pacheco, 33, of Santa Ana, who was confronted and shot, apparently by two men, about 5:55 a.m. in the 1400 block of South Townsend Street.

Police Sgt. Randall Eldridge said Pacheco had just dropped off his wife at work when he was attacked.

“Apparently, as the victim was getting out of his vehicle he was confronted by the two men,” Eldridge said. “The victim, who was also armed, exchanged shots with the subjects and there is a possibility that one or both were injured.”

After being shot, Pacheco either crawled or walked to a neighbor’s front porch, where he collapsed, Eldridge said.

An unidentified man checked himself into Coastal Communities Hospital, located near the shooting scene, for treatment of gunshot wounds early Sunday, but it wasn’t clear whether he had anything to do with the shooting, Eldridge said.

Police on Sunday searched the predominantly Latino neighborhood around the shooting scene as residents watched from windows and balconies.

“We know that one man died and that there were a lot of shots here . . . because there were a lot of bullet casings left in the street,” Sgt. Eric Vedborg said. “But many of the families living in the nearby apartments here are scared to talk and our investigators did say that getting information was difficult.”

Police described the neighborhood as family-oriented and discounted drugs as having a role in the shooting.

A handgun believed to have been used by Pacheco was found near his body, Vedborg said.