4 Anglers From O.C. Wounded

Four Orange County men were shot and wounded early Sunday and three others escaped injury when their group was surprised by a gunman while fishing from a jetty, police said.

The shooting occurred about 3 a.m. while the seven were winding down from a night at the jetty at the end of 72nd Place and Ocean Boulevard, a popular area for casual late-night fishing, Long Beach Police Lt. Philip King said.

Most in the group were either asleep or falling asleep when the gunman and two others arrived and opened fire, King said.

“They woke up to the gunfire,” said King, who noted that three of the group managed to run away without being hit.

The wounded men were identified as Tuan Si Nguyen, 21, Khan Lee Pham, 21, Vincent Van Tran, age unknown, all of Santa Ana, and Hung Thanh Nguyen, 20, of Westminster, King said.

Although none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening, Tuan Nguyen and Pham were both hit twice in the chest, King said. The weapon used appeared to be a small-caliber handgun, King said.

The men managed to drive themselves to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Long Beach, where they were treated before being taken to other area hospitals.

The wounded men told police that the three men, described only as Latinos, had stopped by earlier in the night and exchanged friendly talk about fishing.