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ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Date: January 8, 2015

LAW ENFORCEMENT SEEKS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CHRISTMAS EVE MURDER OF JUVENILE DOCUMENTED GANG MEMBER IN SAFETY ZONE

SANTA ANA – Law enforcement is seeking additional information on a murder of a juvenile documented gang member inside a gang injunction safety zone on Christmas Eve. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) had filed a preliminary gang injunction in August 2014 against a Santa Ana criminal street gang, which named and sought to enjoin 17-year-old Angel Arellano, who was murdered inside the safety zone named in the injunction. At the time of the murder, Arellano was contesting the injunction and was not subject to its terms. There is a pre-trial scheduled on the injunction on Jan. 13, 2015, at 9:00 a.m., in Department C-14, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

On the night of Dec. 23, 2014, Arellano and some fellow gang members were armed and looking for rival gang members in the safety zone named in the injunction. Before midnight, Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) officers responded to a call of four to five shots fired on South Sullivan Street. While at the scene, SAPD officers were informed that Arellano had been taken and abandoned at Coastal Communities Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. Arellano was immediately transported to Western Medical Center Santa Ana in critical condition, where he later died as a result of his gunshot wounds.

“It’s hard not to wonder, had Arellano been enjoined in the injunction and complied with the 10:00 p.m. curfew, he would still be alive today,” stated District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. “This case is exactly what we were trying to prevent by filing the criminal street gang injunction.”

SAPD is investigating the murder case. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact SAPD homicide detectives at (714) 245-8390, or submit an anonymous tip to OC Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS or at occrimestoppers.org. SAPD is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects in this case.

Deputy District Attorney Susan Eckermann of the OC GRIP and Gang Injunctions Unit is prosecuting the lawsuit and is representing the OCDA in this civil gang injunction case.

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TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorney

Roxi Fyad, Spokesperson
Office: 714-347-8405
Cell: 714-323-4486

author avatar
Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

By Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

2 thoughts on “OCDA claims that teen died because he was exempted from a gang injunction”
  1. This kids blood is squarely on the hands of his Mother, Councilmembers Benavides and Reyna and the Morons at Chicano’s United.

    Way to go guys, just like Reyna said: “Just because your n a gang doesn’t mean you don’t have rights”. Yeah the right to get shot and killed by rival gun totting gangs.

    Are these two out of their skulls?

  2. If one is out looking for trouble one will find it. So now that DA Rackauckas has explained why Arellano may have been a victim can the DA give a statement as whether he will or not file charges against SA Mayor Pulido?

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