Man Shot on 57 Freeway in Anaheim

A 23-year-old motorist was shot in the leg by someone in a passing car on the Orange Freeway early Friday, police said.

The unidentified man was driving a Hummer south between Lincoln Avenue and Ball Road about 2 a.m. when a car, possibly a Toyota Camry, pulled up to the driver’s side and an occupant began shooting, said Sgt. Rick Martinez of the Anaheim Police Department.

The Hummer was struck six times on the driver’s side. In addition to the leg wound, the driver was cut by flying glass, Martinez said. His two passengers were not injured.

The wounded driver exited at Katella Avenue and drove to a gas station where an Orange County sheriff’s deputy was flagged down. The motive for the shooting was not known, Martinez said. Authorities closed part of the freeway to search for bullet casings, Martinez said. They found none.

This is the latest of about two dozen Southern California freeway shootings this year, which have left four people dead.

This shooting was unusual because several shots were fired at a short distance, Martinez said. In most of the other freeway shootings, fewer rounds were fired from farther away, he said.