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2 Youths Charged in Shootings : Crime: They are the third and fourth accused in the wounding of two Westlake High students. Two latest defendants live outside Ventura County.

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

Ventura County prosecutors Monday charged an Orange County teen-ager with shooting two Westlake High School students in a brawl near the campus two weeks ago, authorities said. They also charged a Los Angeles County teen-ager as an accomplice in the shooting.

The two youths are the third and fourth 16-year-olds charged in the case, which shocked Thousand Oaks. Last week, two Westlake High School students were charged in the case.

The charges against all four boys stem from a brawl that erupted earlier this month when one of the defendants and a school football player met for a fistfight at North Ranch Park.

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The defendants and others jumped out of a car and announced, “We’re the Asian Mafia,” police and witnesses say.

The defendants--all Asian Americans--then attacked students with bats and lumber before shooting into the crowd, investigators said. Three students were shot, and others were beaten. All of the injured students have been released from local hospitals, including one who suffered a minor skull fracture caused by a bullet that lodged in his neck.

Deputy Dist. Atty. John A. Cardoza said his office will file a petition asking that the two teen-agers charged Monday be tried as adults. He has already filed a similar motion for the two Ventura County youths.

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The defendants from Orange and Los Angeles counties are being held in Juvenile Hall and are scheduled to be arraigned in Juvenile Court this morning.

Cardoza said no other arrests are imminent, but that the police investigation into the incident is continuing.

He credited Ventura County sheriff’s authorities for tracking down leads in the case in three counties and swiftly arresting the four suspects.

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“The sheriff’s office did a heck of a job putting a lot of information together in a short period of time,” Cardoza said.

Authorities have said the Asian Mafia is believed to be the name of the Los Angeles County gang.

Law enforcement sources said Monday, however, that none of the four boys charged in the melee is believed to be an active gang member.

Cardoza said the Orange County youth, who is from Brea, shot two of the students. He is charged with two counts of assault with a firearm, including special allegations that he caused great bodily injury.

The Los Angeles County youth, from Rowland Heights, is charged with two counts of assault with a firearm and one count of assault with a deadly weapon.

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