Police Arrest 3 in Lake Forest Drive-By Attack

LAGUNA HILLS —  Three juveniles from Hacienda Heights were arrested Monday on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with last week’s drive-by shooting near El Toro High School, police said.

Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigators arrested the three juveniles about noon in the parking lot of the Laguna Hills Mall, Lt. Dick Olson said. The three teen-agers, two 17-year-olds and a 15-year-old, did not offer any resistance and were booked into Juvenile Hall, Olson said. Hacienda Heights is in Los Angeles County, north of La Habra.

The juveniles are suspected of firing a hail of bullets from a passing car at a 16-year-old Lake Forest boy as he walked home from school. The victim, whose name is not being released because of his age, suffered gunshot wounds to both legs and his stomach.

At the time they were arrested, the suspects were driving a black Ford Escort GT, which matches the description of the vehicle used in the shooting, Olson said.

Friends of the victim said the shooting was related to an altercation at a Halloween party on Oct. 31. There was reportedly a fight at the party involving several uninvited guests and the shooting was retaliation, the friends said.

Neither the suspects nor the victim appear to have any gang affiliations, Olson said.