Man dies after shooting in alley, third such fatality in O.C. in days

An 18-year-old man who died hours after he and another man were found shot in an Anaheim alley was the third fatal shooting victim in Orange County since Friday.

The unidentified man and a 21-year-old were found by Anaheim police Tuesday morning in the 1700 block of West Glen Avenue. Like the other shootings that occurred over the weekend, Tuesday’s incident is being investigated as gang-related.

Officers received multiple calls from residents who said they heard gunshots shortly after 1 a.m., said Lt. Bob Dunn, spokesman for the Anaheim Police Department. Both men suffered at least one gunshot wound and were taken to a hospital.

The 21-year-old man was treated and released, but the 18-year-old died about 3 a.m., Dunn said.

“There’s no information that indicates the two men were aggressive toward one another,” Dunn said. “They’re the victims of another or multiple individuals.”

Police believe they may have been shot by rival gang members, Dunn said.

Leonicio Banuelos, 22, was killed Sunday in Santa Ana after he was shot in the upper torso, police said. Officers found Banuelos about 2:35 a.m. at his home in the 300 block of South Newhope Street.

Santa Ana police suspect that he was shot while walking south in the 200 block of South Newhope Street. Someone inside a silver SUV driving in the opposite direction stopped and fired several shots at Banuelos.

Banuelos was hit at least once and is believed to have walked to his home, which is where police were called. He died UCI Medical Center.

On Friday, a 17-year-old girl was killed after the car she was a passenger in was shot at in Santa Ana near South Townsend Street and West Monte Vista Avenue, police said. The driver drove to a gas station at 1913 W. Edinger where someone called 911.

Janet Jimenez of Santa Ana was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

The shootings are being investigated as gang-related, said Cpl. Anthony Bertagna, spokesman for the Santa Ana police Department. There doesn’t appear to be any connections between any of the shootings, but the investigation is ongoing.

There was also a non-fatal shooting in Santa Ana on Tuesday, in which a 22-year-old woman received a gunshot wound to her upper body, Bertagna said. It’s also believed to be a gang-related shooting.

The 6 a.m. shooting occurred in the 300 block of North Jackson Street, Bertagna said.

A vehicle was driving northbound on the street when someone inside the car started shooting at a group of pedestrians. The pedestrians brandished their own weapons and shot back at the car before it drove off, Bertagna said.

The 22-year-old woman was in stable condition and was expected to survive, Bertagna said. Witnesses, however, have not been cooperating with detectives, he said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Santa Ana detectives at (714) 245-8390; those who wish to remain anonymous may contact O.C. Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS.