Teenage Girls Recovering After Masked Man Targets Nearby Group In Santa Cruz Shooting
SANTA CRUZ (CBS SF) -- Two teenage girls were shot in Santa Cruz on Sunday night by a masked man who was apparently targeting another group nearby, police said.
The victims were 16 and 17 years old and from Scotts Valley and Ben Lomond, respectively. They were treated and released from Dominican Hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening.
At about 8 p.m. Sunday, officers responding to reports of gunfire in the vicinity of Pacific Avenue and Birch Lane found the two girls wounded in a parked vehicle.
The incident occurred after the shooter and his driver were involved in an altercation with three men who had been talking to the female victims. Gang slurs were exchanged, police said.
One of the suspects exited a darkly colored four-door sedan, possibly a newer model Nissan Altima, and opened fire. He missed his intended victims but the 16-year-old girl suffered a grazing wound to the back. The 17-year-old suffered two gunshot wounds to the arm.
The shooting suspect was described as a male of unknown age wearing a tan or gray hooded sweatshirt and a mask or bandanna over his face. The driver was described as a Hispanic man between 25 to 30 years old wearing a black jacket with shiny, slicked back hair.
The shooting is under investigation and the suspects are still at large. Santa Cruz police are asking members of the public with information about the incident to call (831) 420-5995 or submit tips online at www.santacruzpolice.com.
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