Police: Drive-by shooting may have gang ties

Costa Mesa police are investigating a possible gang-related shooting

that occurred Friday night in the 3000 block of Fillmore Avenue.

Police said that around 9:15 p.m., a dark-colored vehicle drove by the

block and someone began shooting a handgun out the car window. A total of

four to five shots were fired, police said. A 21-year-old man, who was

standing in front of an apartment building, was shot in the right leg.

The victim was taken to Hoag Hospital. Police said the man’s injuries

were not life-threatening. They are still looking for the shooter.

Police cars damaged in low speed chase

A chase in the College Park area went awry early Saturday morning when

a suspect being chased by Costa Mesa police apparently proceeded to ram a

few police cars.

The suspect, Terry Harper, 44, of Santa Ana was arrested for alleged

assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon on a police

officer, possession of narcotics and failure to yield.

The chase started around 12:50 a.m. when Harper reportedly began

driving a white pick-up truck recklessly in the College Park residential

area. Officers located the vehicle and attempted to stop it.

The vehicle initially stopped, but police said it then backed into one

of their units and drove away. A “low speed” pursuit followed as Harper

drove to the area of Newport and Harbor boulevards, reportedly attempted

to ram another police vehicle, then drove the wrong way on East 19th

Street and again attempted to ram pursuing police units. Police said

another of their cruisers was hit, as a large number of pedestrians

gathered on the sidewalk to watch the pursuit.

Officers finally ended the chase by blocking and ramming Harper’s

vehicleand disabling it. Harper reportedly continued to be uncooperative

and would not comply with instructions to leave the truck. So officials

shot him twice with a nonlethal weapon.

Police said he refused to budge until a K-9 was called in.

Harper is being held in the Costa Mesa City Jail with bail set at

$50,000.