SANTA ANA, Calif. – Two young men from Orange have been arrested in the death of a 36-year-old woman who was shot by a round meant for two teenagers who were running from a drive-by shooting in Santa Ana, police said Sunday.
The victim was identified as Maria Del Rufugio Mora of Santa Ana, who was a mother of three children, the Santa Ana Police Department reported.
Officers were sent to a parking lot at 1473 S. Main St. at about 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 4. They found Mora suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body. Paramedics rushed her to a hospital in critical condition. She died from her injuries on Dec. 9.
The department said the two boys were being shot at by suspects in a white-colored sedan The two ran into a parking lot as they were being fired upon. Mora was struck by gunfire and the two boys were not injured, police said.
“The circumstances surrounding this shooting are currently being investigated, however, detectives believe the motive could be gang-related,” police said.
A follow-up investigation, which included analyzing surveillance video and interviews, led to identifying the sedan as a white Toyota Camry and the arrest of Mark Remmers, 19, and Brooke De La Cruz, 24, police said Sunday.
Remmers and De La Cruz were taken into custody Thursday. Remmers was arrested in the 2100 block of Newport Boulevard in Costa Mesa and De La Cruz was arrested in the 500 block of South Hill Street in Orange. The Camry was also found, authorities said.
The SAPD’s Homicide Section urged anyone with information about the shooting to call them at 714-245-8390 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855- 847-6227.
