A baby shower in Anaheim turned violent Saturday night when gunfire tore through a crowded courtyard, leaving three teenagers and an adult bystander injured and four suspected gang members in handcuffs.
Police said officers were called around 7:15 p.m. to the 2000 block of South Sprague Lane, where a baby shower was underway in a courtyard packed with guests. According to a police news release, four suspected gang members confronted rivals at the gathering and opened fire, sending bullets into the crowd. As reported by CBS Los Angeles, the suspects ran off on foot before officers arrived. Investigators later identified them as an 18-year-old Anaheim resident and three juveniles. Police said they recovered two handguns and an AR-style firearm believed to have been used in the shooting.
Cops Track Suspects Across Orange County
Detectives did not have to look far beyond Orange County to find the suspects. According to East Bay Times, investigators tracked two of them to Whittier on Sunday, then arrested the remaining pair in Santa Ana the next day. Search warrants served during those arrests turned up additional ammunition, police said. The adult suspect was identified as 18-year-old Zine Jassim of Anaheim, while the juveniles’ names were withheld because of their ages.
Victims And Chaotic Scene
Three male juveniles were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment and were later listed in stable condition, while an adult bystander was treated at the scene, MyNewsLA reported. The shooting unfolded in a courtyard between Orangewood Avenue and Gene Autry Way, according to officials, and detectives are still working to determine exactly who the gunmen were aiming at amid the crowd.
Charges And Ongoing Investigation
All four suspects are staring down a long list of allegations. Police said the group faces charges that include attempted murder, conspiracy, aggravated assault, weapons violations, and gang enhancements. They are being held pending further action as investigators sort through the growing stack of evidence, including ballistics from the recovered guns, CBS Los Angeles noted. Anaheim detectives said the case remains very much active.
How Neighbors Can Help
Detectives are still looking to fill in gaps in the timeline and are asking anyone who saw the shooting or has information about it to contact the Anaheim Police Department at the number provided by investigators, or to submit an anonymous tip to Orange County Crime Stoppers. As the East Bay Times reported, police stressed that community cooperation could be crucial to fully piecing together what happened at the baby shower before the bullets started flying.
