A 30-year-old man on parole with a lengthy criminal history suspected in a fatal shooting of a man he knew at a park in Orange was in custody Wednesday.
The shooting occurred at about 6:40 p.m. Tuesday at Hart Park, according to the Orange Police Department.
Officers responded to the scene and found the victim dead in the west portion of the park.
The suspect was identified as Pedro Amarillaslares, who was on parole for possession of a loaded gun and a controlled substance, police said.
Authorities said he was arrested after he was seen running from the area with a handgun.
Police added that the suspect and the victim knew each other and characterized the shooting as an “isolated incident.”
The victim’s name was not released as authorities were working to notify his family Wednesday.
Amarillaslares has a current case for misdemeanor possession of fentanyl, according to court records.
Amarillaslares pleaded guilty Jan. 25, 2024, to assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury with a sentencing enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury. He was sentenced to two years in prison.
Amarillaslares was sentenced to 90 days in jail after his release when he failed to report to his parole officer, according to court records. As authorities were looking for him, the suspect’s father told investigators that his son was addicted to fentanyl and that he feared an overdose, according to a parole violation petition.
Amarillaslares pleaded guilty Oct. 20, 2021, to felony counts of robbery and grand theft as well as misdemeanor counts of possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia.
Amarillaslares pleaded guilty July 28, 2022, to burglary and identity theft for breaking into cars, according to court records.
Amarillaslares pleaded guilty Jan. 3, 2024, to possession of drugs while armed with a gun, possession of a gun and ammunition by a felon, carrying a loaded unregistered gun in public, and a convicted felon carrying a concealed gun in a vehicle.