A 19-year-old man was behind bars Thursday on suspicion of gunning down a rival for his girlfriend in Santa Ana.
Jose Antonio Mejia-Garcia of Santa Ana was booked on suspicion of murder in the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Froylan Vazquez of Santa Ana Monday night, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.
Police were called just after 10:30 p.m. Monday to the 1900 block of South Fairview Street, where they found Vazquez with a gunshot wound to the upper body, Bertagna said. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Surveillance video showed a black pickup fleeing the scene of the shooting, Bertagna said. Police used surveillance video footage to help link Mejia-Garcia to the shooting.
The suspect also made “incriminating statements” while being questioned by police, Bertagna said.
Mejia-Garcia found out that his friend, Vazquez, was dating his girlfriend behind his back, so he went to confront the victim in front of his home, which led to the shooting, Bertagna alleged.