3 Held in Car Window Shatterings

Acting on a phoned-in tip, the California Highway Patrol detained three men Wednesday night in connection with a monthlong spate of sniper attacks on cars on Los Angeles-area freeways--in what could become the first in a series of arrests of Los Angeles gang members, Gov. Pete Wilson said.

The men were stopped by the CHP as they drove in Los Angeles at 7 p.m., and officers found a sawed-off shotgun, a 9-millimeter handgun and other weapons that could have been used in the nearly 240 window-shattering attacks, Wilson said.

One state official, who asked not to be named, elaborated, saying that after the men were pulled over, authorities conducted a raid on the East Los Angeles residence of at least one of them.

“They found BB guns, Wrist-Rocket [slingshots] and other paraphernalia that would seem to link these individuals to these sniping events,” the official said.

Based on preliminary questioning of the men, Wilson said authorities believe the attacks are gang-related and possibly associated with more than one gang. It is not clear, he added, if gangs are using the attacks as an initiation rite.

The names of the men, all former felons, were not released. The youngest of the three is 18, one official said, and the other two are believed to be between 21 and 23.

All three were being held for owning or carrying weapons in violation of their parole, Wilson said.

CHP Sgt. Ernie Garcia said 19-year-old Altantis Rose, arrested Tuesday on an outstanding armed robbery warrant and questioned by CHP investigators, was not believed to be involved in any of the attacks.

Rose is also not believed connected to any of the men detained Wednesday, Garcia said, although they are continuing to question her about any information she may have related to the attacks.

Before Wednesday, the only arrests made in connection with the incidents were of would-be copycats or suspicious people who authorities later determined were not responsible for the attacks. A group of teenagers was arrested Sunday night for throwing rocks onto the Harbor Freeway; they did not hit anything or anyone. Monday night, two men were stopped in Inglewood after witnesses observed them with a hand-held laser-like device.

Even with Wednesday’s activity on the case, authorities fear the attacks may not be over.

The fact that many cars have been hit each night convinced authorities early on that copycats had joined in.