Police investigating shooting that occurred at Friday party

Santa Paula Police are investigating a shooting that occurred Friday evening during a party when the victim was confronted by the gunman.

According to SPPD Sgt. Cody Madison, the March 24 incident was reported at 10:45 p.m. as a gunshot victim at a residence in the 100 block of Santa Maria Street.

Officers and crews with the Santa Paula Fire Department responded to a report of a gunshot victim at 10:35 p.m. at a residence in the 100 block of Santa Ana Street.

Santa Paula Fire EMTs and ambulance paramedics treated the unidentified victim, a 20-year-old male of Santa Paula, on scene before he was transported to Ventura County Medical Center for emergency surgery.

Madison said investigators determined that the victim “was found to be attending a party when he was confronted by a unknown subject and was shot for an unknown reason.”

Soon after the incident, the search for the shooter focused on fast-food restaurants close to the intersection of Harvard Boulevard and South Palm Avenue, north of where the shooting occurred, but police were unable to locate the suspect.

Madison said the victim has no criminal record and is not known to Santa Paula Police. He was an “innocent victim” of the shooting by the unknown assailant. 

Madison said Sunday the victim remains hospitalized and there was no description of the shooter.