Newport Beach man shot in Irvine

Claudia Figueroa

IRVINE -- A Newport Beach man who was shot in the face Monday by an

unknown assailant, while in his pharmaceutical business parking lot, is

in fair condition, authorities said.

James Patrick Riley -- the 58-year-old owner of Irvine-based Biofem Inc.

research and development company at 15615 Alton Parkway -- was shot at

close range about 9:48 a.m., as he got out of his blue Audi, which was

parked near the Spectrum Bank Building, Irvine Police Lt. Sam Allevato

said.

Witnesses said the assailant was armed with a semiautomatic handgun. The

suspect was described as a man wearing black clothing, gloves and ski

mask.

Authorities said the bullet that was fired at Riley entered his lip and

exited his cheek, before ricocheting off a wall inside an occupied office

and landing on the floor. Allevato said the person in the office was

startled but unharmed.

Riley, who received a serious facial wound during the attack, was able to

get help when he entered the Palm Court Cafe and asked waitress Martina

Schultz to call 911, Allevato said.

Schultz declined to comment Wednesday afternoon.

Riley was taken to Mission Community Hospital, where authorities say he

is in stable condition.

“Let’s face it, Riley is not a lucky man, but he is lucky the bullet

didn’t go into his skull,” Allevato said.

After the attack, the gunman was seen running through the nearby

courtyard to the rear of the building, where he fled in a Chevrolet Astro

headed north on Pacifica, Allevato said.

Witnesses wrote down part of the minivan’s license number, which they say

is either 2WR-552 or 2WR-522.

Police are still looking for a motive in the shooting. Anyone with

information on this case may call Irvine Investigator Pete Linton at

(949) 724-7174.