Police seek two wanted in shooting

Deepa Bharath

Police are looking for two men in connection with a gang-related

shooting that happened Sunday night on the city’s Westside, officials

said.

The victim, a 20-year-old Costa Mesa resident, took a bullet in

his back, but his injury was not life threatening, Lt. Dale Birney

said.

Birney said the victim and another man were standing in an alley

behind the 800 block of Center Street when they were approached by

“at least two other individuals.”

“There was an exchange of words,” Birney said. “Then one of the

two men pulled out a handgun and fired a round, striking the victim

in the back.”

He said police do not know how many bullets were fired in the

alley. The victim was hit by a single bullet.

Birney said it is not clear which of the men belonged to gangs,

but that police are sure that it is a gang-related incident.

“Officers are at this point trying to gather numerous reports in

this case,” he said.

Police do not have a description of the alleged shooter, Birney

said.

This is the city’s second gang-related incident in about two

months. On April 15, a 15-year-old boy was stabbed several times with

a pair of scissors. The boy recovered and police arrested one of his

assailants, but a second one is still at large.

Costa Mesa Police Gang Unit Sgt. Tim Schennum said the incidents

do not indicate an upward trend in gang violence.

“Gang activity is like a roller coaster,” he said. “Yes, we’ve

noticed an increase in graffiti and other activity over the last two

months. But there has not been any radical activity, nothing out of

proportion.”

Schennum said the department is missing the benefits of Target, a

countywide anti-gang task force, that was shut down earlier this year

because of lack of funds. That program provided the department with a

designated district attorney, a probation officer and a prosecutor

specially for gang-related cases.

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.