A 30-year-old man was charged with murder Monday for allegedly gunning down another man in Orange, in a killing authorities believe was gang-related.
Luis Albert De Paz Flores was charged with murder, along with a special circumstance allegation of gang activity. He was also charged with single felony counts of unlawful assault weapon or .50 BMG rifle activity, possession of a firearm by a felon and a prohibited person owning ammunition, with sentencing enhancements for a gang member’s vicarious discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury and gang activity.
Flores is accused of killing 26-year-old Marco Huerta Torres of Orange.
Police initially responded to a traffic collision about 11:17 p.m. Aug. 6, according to Lt. Jennifer Amat of the Orange Police Department. Officers found the wounded Torres in one of the cars with multiple other people, Amat said.
No one was injured in the crash, but Torres was taken to an area hospital, where he died, Amat said.
Detectives found evidence indicating that the shooting occurred in the 1500 block of East Locus Avenue, police said.
Flores, who was arrested Thursday, was being held on $1.1 million bail. He listed his occupation as a plumber, according to jail records. No information was disclosed about what may have prompted the shooting, beyond possible gang activity.
Flores’ arraignment Monday was rescheduled for Sept. 21 in the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.