Police Monday asked for the public’s help in locating a 21-year-old man suspected of shooting and killing a Santa Ana teen.
Police responded at around 11:45 p.m. Sunday to reports of a shooting at the suspect’s residence in the 3600 block of West Hazard Avenue, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.
Officers found a 16-year-old boy, identified as Alex Adrian Ramirez, suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper torso, Bertagna said.
Ramirez was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead just after midnight.
Witnesses at the scene told investigators that the suspect had fired from a dark two-door vehicle before speeding off, but police today said they found evidence that suggests the shooting took place inside a bedroom of the home.
“(Investigators) obtained a search warrant this morning and located what they believe is the actual crime scene, one of the bedrooms,” Bertagna said, adding that officers also discovered inside the home the gun they believed was used to kill Ramirez.
Police are now searching for suspect Matthew Jacob Granados, described as a Hispanic man, 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighing 180 pounds with long black hair and brown eyes.
Granados is considered armed and dangerous, and could have access to other weapons, Bertagna said.
“At this point, we don’t know if this was an accidental shooting that went wrong or an intentional act that was done by (Granados). At this point, we don’t know,” Bertagna said.
Police said the suspect’s mother may have dropped him off at an unknown location after the shooting, Bertagna said.
Granados’ father, Alexander Christopher Granados, 41, has been arrested on suspicion of accessory after the fact, Bertagna said.
–City News Service