June 14, 2025 — Police detectives are conducting a homicide investigation regarding a 23-year-old man who was shot and killed, according to the SAPD.
On Saturday, June 14, 2025, at approximately 7:48 a.m., Santa Ana Police Communications received a report of a shooting in the area of 1100 S. Townsend Street.
Officers responded to the scene and located a man, identified as Christopher Michael Abarca (23) of Santa Ana, seated in the driver’s seat of a sedan, suffering from a gunshot wound. Orange County Fire Authority also responded and transported Christopher to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
At this time, the motive surrounding the shooting is under investigation. Homicide Detectives are attempting to identify and locate additional witnesses who can provide information about the homicide.
Anyone with information is asked to call SAPD Homicide Section Detectives at (714) 245-8390 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.
If someone fatally shoots a person in their car in Santa Ana, California, the penalties can be very serious and depend on the details of the case:
- If it’s considered murder, the shooter could face:
- 15 years to life in prison for second-degree murder (not planned).
- 25 years to life for first-degree murder (planned and intentional).
- Life without parole or even the death penalty in special cases (though California currently has a moratorium on executions).
- If the shooting happened from a car, it could also be treated as a drive-by shooting, which is a felony and adds more prison time.
- Using a gun during the crime can add extra years:
- 10 years for having a gun,
- 20 years for firing it,
- 25 years to life if it caused death or serious injury.
