Police No Closer to Shooter in Garden Grove Attack

Tips continued to pour into the Garden Grove Police Department on Wednesday about a bloody shooting that left two dead and four wounded at a small auto accessories store three days ago, but detectives were no closer to identifying a suspect or a motive for the brazen attack.

Police began to take a closer look at possible links between Monday’s shooting at Robotek Motorsports on Brookhurst Street and a similar assault in June, when a gunman killed a customer and critically wounded a second at ZOOMi Racing Automotive on Harbor Boulevard just two miles away.

The gunmen in both attacks fit the same basic description, and both struck at midday. Both stores specialize in custom, aftermarket auto accessories, and in neither case did the assailant say anything or attempt to rob the store, police said.

Officers cautioned, however, that the possible link was just one of many possibilities being investigated and that other evidence indicates different gunmen may be responsible.

“We’re frustrated that we don’t have more information,” said Garden Grove Police Sgt. Mike Handfield. “Somebody’s got to know this guy, and somebody’s got to know what he did.”

Police continued to investigate the most promising lead to surface after the Robotek shooting: reports that the owner, Charlie Kim, had a heated argument with a customer on the telephone about half an hour before a gunman burst in and opened fire.

“Our hope is to find out who the call was from,” Handfield said. “That person could have had a legitimate complaint. We just want to question him. He’s not a suspect. The immediate focus is on anyone who had a conflict.”

To find other possible disgruntled customers or employees, detectives are searching through Robotek’s invoice and receipt databases.

Kim, 48, remains in critical condition at UCI Medical Center. Police believe Kim was the gunman’s target because he was shot five times.

Detectives also are interviewing the other three people wounded in the shooting and their families to determine if one of them may have been the intended target or know what may have prompted the attack. One victim, Edward Kim, 18, of Garden Grove was upgraded to good condition and may be released today. Han Vo, 17, of Fountain Valley, remained in fair condition at UCI Medical Center on Wednesday. The other victim was treated Monday night at a hospital and released.

Killed in the shooting were Mario Taborga, 21, of Anaheim and Tung Xuan “Tony” Ngo, 18, of Fountain Valley.

Every tip will be checked out, no matter how unlikely, Handfield said, including rumors that the Robotek shooting may be linked to an extortion racket in the area run by street gangs or other criminal enterprises. However, there is no evidence now that such a racket is tied to the shooting, he said.

Police received about 20 calls from tipsters who spotted what may have been the gunman’s getaway car: a 1990 to 1995 gray Mazda MPV minivan last seen heading north on Flower Street.

Witnesses described the gunman as an Asian male, in his late teens or early 20s. He is 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 140 to 180 pounds. He wore a black baseball cap, a blue short-sleeve shirt and dark pants.

Witnesses provided a similar description of the gunman in the June 3 shooting at the ZOOMi store.

Times correspondent Jin Whang contributed to this report.