Suspect arrested in Santa Ana gang-related shooting that sent 3-year-old to hospital

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) — Less than two weeks after a gang-related shooting left a 3-year-old girl in critical condition, a 20-year-old suspect has been arrested, officials said Monday.

The suspect has been identified as Angel Castillo, 20, of Santa Ana. He was arrested Thursday and is facing more than a dozen charges that include attempted murder, criminal street gang activity and discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury or death.

The video in the player above is from an earlier report on this shooting.

The shooting happened on Feb. 25 around 8 p.m. Police say the shooter ran up and fired at a vehicle near the intersection of 15th and Spurgeon streets. A woman was driving the vehicle and her boyfriend was in the front passenger seat, while the woman’s two daughters, ages 3 and 4, were in the backseat.

Police believe the mother’s boyfriend in the front seat, a documented gang member, was the target of the shooting. He wasn’t struck but the toddler in the backseat was hit by at least one bullet in the back. She was rushed to Children’s Hospital of Orange Couny where she successfully underwent surgery.

An update on her condition was not immediately available Monday.

About the Author

Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact Yosi by clicking here.