SPPD: Five wounded in shooting police believe is gang related

Five men were wounded in a shooting early Saturday in an area where a “party bus” had earlier dropped off celebrants. Santa Paula Police received reports about 2:47 a.m. July 18 of shots fired in the area of Santa Paula-Ojai Road and High Street and when officers arrived on scene they found a crowd of up to 50 people.

 “It was chaos,” said SPPD Commander Ish Cordero, “and once order was restored,” officers found that three people in the crowd had been wounded by gunshots. Santa Paula Fire EMTs and ambulances were dispatched and after treating the victims they were transported to Ventura County Medical Center. Two additional shooting victims later arrived at an area hospital after being driven there by private vehicles. Cordero said one victim was “worse than the other four…” Sgt. Cody Madison said the shootings occurred after a large group of people in a so-called “party bus” was exiting the vehicle off at Ojai Road and High Street. The suspects fled the scene in a vehicle. All the victims were between the ages of 20 and 35 years old. Cordero said the incident could have started before the group was dropped off: “It probably was something that happened on the bus then escalated, got even worse when they were dropped off…then shots rang out. “But we don’t know for sure…we’ve got more than thirty people to interview,” to determine the exact circumstances of the shootings. Cordero added, “We think it’s safe to say yes,” that there was some level of gang involvement. Several residents in the nearby area reported hearing eight to 10 gunshots and screaming; at least one person that lives near the Depot heard someone running on Railroad Avenue shortly before 3 a.m. Santa Paula-Ojai Road (Highway 150) was closed off following the shooting to allow emergency personnel and crime scene investigators to work. High Street is located north of Orchard Street and south of Richmond Road. Anyone with information is asked to contact SPPD Detective Walter Harper at 525-4474 ext 221. If you would prefer to remain anonymous, call the SPPD recorded Tip Hotline, 933-5691 or email tips to tipline@spcity.org Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477); the call is not recorded and the caller may remain anonymous. Ventura County Crime Stoppers can also be contacted by texting “Busted” plus your message to CRIMES (274637). Crime Stopper Tips can also be sent via the website, www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org This story will be updated in the Wednesday edition of the Santa Paula Times.