Boy, 13, Shot in Parked Van in Oxnard Dies

A 13-year-old boy, who was shot in a parked van after riding with friends to a south Oxnard neighborhood, has died from a single gunshot wound to the head, authorities said Wednesday.

Carlos Martinez of Oxnard was pronounced dead at 10 p.m. Tuesday at St. John’s Regional Medical Center, according to Coroner’s Det. James Baroni.

No one has been arrested in the shooting, and detectives revealed little about the investigation Wednesday, except to say that it does not appear to have been gang-related.

“We’re still trying to put together the pieces,” said Oxnard Police Cmdr. Joe Munoz.

The teenager’s death distressed city leaders, who are spending millions of dollars to reduce juvenile crime in Oxnard.

‘I think it’s tragic--not only for the families, but the entire city,” said Mayor Manuel Lopez.

The boy was shot about 5 p.m. Monday as he sat in a van parked in an alley just off Charles Street in the 200 block of Campbell Way, Munoz said.

Carlos was with at least three other teenage boys, but investigators have not determined whether they are suspects in the shooting.

Sgt. Dan Christian said detectives planned Wednesday night to interview the van’s driver--described as being in his late teens--who they said is a possible witness to the shooting.

Investigators think that Carlos had been with several other teenage boys Monday afternoon who decided to go for a ride in the van, Christian said. The boys then parked the van in the Southwinds neighborhood and some of them went into a residence on Campbell Way. Carlos was in the van at the time he was shot in the head with a small-caliber gun.

“Obviously there was somebody in the van with him, but they didn’t stick around to talk to us,” Christian said.

Christian said Carlos was not a reported gang member, but added that the other teens may have gang ties.

“But it doesn’t appear that this was one gang going after another,” the sergeant said.

Christian added that authorities hoped to learn more, including what type of gun was used, when an autopsy is conducted today.

The slaying comes on the heels of two apparently gang-related attacks in Oxnard and Ventura. Genaro Jiminez was stabbed to death two weeks ago in Oxnard, possibly by Ventura gang members.

A day later, Fabian Arturo Flores, 18, was shot several times in the head while talking to a friend in Ventura--possibly in retaliation by Oxnard gang members, authorities have said. Flores was listed in fair condition at Ventura County Medical Center Wednesday night.

And Carlos Martinez’s death comes as Oxnard is launching the South Oxnard Challenge Program, a $4.5-million effort to fight juvenile crime with mentoring and increased social services.

“We have to do whatever we can to prevent these things,” said Mayor Lopez. “That’s why we have the DARE [Drug Abuse Resistance Effort], the Challenge Program, the Boys & Girls Club. But you can’t be 100% certain it won’t happen.”

Times staff writer Chris Chi contributed to this story.