See the Update No. 2 on page 2 with an arrest made in this case.
See Update No. 1 on the next page that reveals the victims' ages and which was which.
ORIGINAL POST, MARCH 7, 11:15 A.M.: One male was killed and a second seriously wounded in shootings near Melrose and Center streets in Placentia Wednesday night. The Placentia Police Department has not yet released the names or ages of the victims and–as you might imagine if you've been playing the board game at home–investigators figure this may be gang-related.
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Cops got the call around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday of multiple shots fired and someone down near the Melrose and Center intersection, where responding officers found one male. The second was down about a half block.
Both were taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange, where one victim died a short time later. The second male was listed in critical condition with undisclosed injuries.
Police still need answers, and anyone who can help investigators is asked to call 714.993.8146.
UPDATE NO. 1, MARCH 7, 1:22 P.M.: Placentia police say the man found with fatal gunshot wounds near the Melrose and Center streets intersection last night was 19. The fellow with serious gunshot wounds a half block away was 16 in what investigators increasingly believe were gang-related shootings.
No further identifying details or suspect(s) description(s) have been released.
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UPDATE NO. 2, MARCH 12, 9:24 A.M.: Christopher Antonio Rodas of Placentia has been arrested for the fatal shooting of the fellow 19-year-old now identified as Jose Chavez, according to police.
A search warrant was served Saturday at an Anaheim residence, where Rodas was arrested on suspicion of murder. He is now being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
The 16-year-old Rodas is also accused of shooting remains in critical condition at UCI Medical Center in Orange.
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OC Weekly Editor-in-Chief Matt Coker has been engaging, enraging and entertaining readers of newspapers, magazines and websites for decades. He spent the first 13 years of his career in journalism at daily newspapers before “graduating” to OC Weekly in 1995 as the alternative newsweekly’s first calendar editor.