Santa Fe Springs: February 2012 Archives

SANTA FE SPRINGS -- Three men have been jailed in connection with a fatal car-to-car shooting that left an 18-year-old Whittier man dead and another man critically wounded, authorities said.

Mark Joseph Rodriguez died at a hospital shorty after the shooting, which was reported about 6 p.m. Thursday on Sorensen Avenue, just south of Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said.

Jason Uzel, 37, of Whittier, Brian Recinos, 22, of Whittier and Frank Ramos, 45, of Eureka, were booked on suspicion of murder, Whittier police Officer Bradley White said.

Rodriguez and the other shooting victim were in the back seat of a car when someone opened fire on them with .45-caliber handgun from a pearl-white compact car with aftermarket rims, Whittier police officials said.

Two other people in the car that was shot were not wounded, police said.

"A (sheriff's) deputy made a traffic stop on a vehicle (and), found a .45(-caliber) casing in the car," Whittier police Lt. Carlos Solorza said. The car matched the description of the one driven during the attack.

Continued investigation led to the arrest of Ramos about 12: 45 a.m. Friday, according to police and county booking records, however further details of his arrest were not available Friday.

The shooting took place on a commercial street lined with concrete warehouses and factories.

It was not clear if Thursday afternoon's shooting was related to another Santa Fe Springs shooting reported the previous night. In that incident, a 12-year-old boy was wounded in the leg while sleeping when bullets tore through his family's home in the 9300 block of Danby Avenue -- about two miles from the scene of Thursday's shooting.

Both shootings were described by police as being apparently gang-related.

According to county booking records, all three suspects were being held without bail pending their initial court appearances.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Whittier Police Department, which provides police services to Santa Fe Springs.

SANTA FE SPRINGS -- A 12-year-old boy was shot and wounded as he slept in his bed late Wednesday, authorities said.

The attack took place just after 11 p.m. in the 9300 block of Danby Avenue, Whittier police Officer Bradley White said.

"When we arrived on-scene, we discovered a 12-year-old male had suffered a gunshot wound to his leg," he said. "He was inside sleeping in his room when the shots were fired."

The boy was treated at a hospital and released early Thursday, White added.

Though detectives initially suspected the attack to be gang-related, "We don't know why this house was targeted," White said.

The bullet that struck the boy pierced a front window of the house, family members said. Another bullet struck the windowsill, and another hit a door.

"There was maybe six to seven shots fired," said a cousin of the young victim who asked that his name be withheld for fear of retaliation. "I don't know where the other ones went."

The family was relaxing at home when their peace was suddenly shattered by the gunfire, said the cousin.

The cousin said he was awakened by the shots and immediately dropped to the floor along with the others in the home.

Then he saw the wounded little boy.

"He was in so much shock, I thought it was worse," the cousin said.

He said he felt relieved when he heard the little boy speak, saying, "It burns."

Following the shooting, a car was heard speeding away from the home, said the cousin.

He added that the family had no idea why someone would shoot at the home.

The little boy's knee was shattered by the bullet, his cousin said, and he may require surgery later in the recovery process. The boy plays flag football in a local league.

No suspect description was available, and the circumstances of the shooting also remained under investigation, police said. Neighbors reported hearing the gunshots, but not seeing the incident.

Anyone with information was asked to contact Whittier police at 562-567-9200.