Shots Fired at Three Teens Playing Golf : Violence: They escape injury, gunman vanishes after bizarre attack.

Three teen-agers were shot at during a golf round Wednesday night by a gunman who emerged from a bike trail bordering the course, Sheriff’s Department investigators said.

The Lake Forest teens were not injured in the bizarre incident, which reportedly occurred about 9 p.m. and sent players running for cover near the eighth hole of the Lake Forest Golf and Practice Center, which offers night golf on a lighted course.

The attacker first started shouting profanities at the three, two of them 18 and the other 19, and then began shooting, Sheriff’s Lt. Ron Wilkerson said.

“He was yelling curse words at them to get their attention and then opened fire,” Wilkerson said.

Two of the teens were back on the course Thursday night for another round, laughing about the incident that took place the night before. They said they did not know the gunman but declined to discuss the incident with a reporter unless they were paid.

But another teen, who declined to give his name, said his friends were frightened by the incident and could not understand why someone would want to shoot at them.

Sheriff’s deputies searched the area by helicopter shortly after the shooting, without success. The gunman is described as a Latino, about 20 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds and with a shaved head.

“There’s no indication that they knew him or if this was some kind of gang activity,” Wilkerson said. The teen-agers’ names were withheld for their safety, he said.

But investigators are still puzzling over a motive. No weapon has been found.

“It’s just unbelievable,” said Tim Kelly of Lake Forest, who was playing night golf with friends Thursday. “You just don’t worry about that kind of thing on the golf course.”

Michael Beaty of Aliso Viejo, a course regular, said, “It’s a very quiet neighborhood around here. It’s very surprising.”

“Usually,” golfer Alex Wares of Mission Viejo said, “you only have to worry about hitting the deck when someone yells, ‘Fore!’ Not because someone’s waving a gun.”