Police Say Revenge Behind Man’s Gunfire at Golf Course

An 18-year-old confessed to investigators Friday that he shot at three teen-agers on a golf course, one of whom had been convicted earlier this year of assaulting him, sheriff’s investigators said.

Jesse Pasada of Lake Forest told gang investigators that he carried his revolver to the Lake Forest Golf and Practice Center on Wednesday night and opened fire at Joel Hughes and two of his golfing buddies.

Hughes, 18, also of Lake Forest, was found guilty of beating Pasada earlier this year, said Sheriff’s Lt. Ron Wilkerson, but he could not elaborate.

“It might be a case of Pasada trying to seek revenge on Hughes,” Wilkerson said.

Authorities identified Pasada as a suspect after a gang investigator remembered Hughes had been convicted of the assault.

Because Pasada is on probation for possession of stolen property, investigators were able to search his home, where they found a .22-caliber revolver concealed in a heating duct in his bedroom, Wilkerson said.

Officials then arrested Pasada Friday afternoon at his work at a restaurant at Muirlands Boulevard and Ridge Route Drive.

Pasada told investigators he had purchased the handgun recently and had been looking for a place near his home to target shoot. He decided on the golf course, and Hughes just happened to be there, he reportedly said.

Pasada was booked into Orange County jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, and bail was set at $50,000.

“The arrest makes a lot of people sigh in relief now that they know there isn’t some individual out there shooting arbitrarily at people,” Wilkerson said.