2 Youths Critically Injured in Drive-By Shooting

SANTA ANA â€”  A 12-year-old boy and his 16-year-old friend were shot and critically wounded early Friday by suspected gang members who yelled a gang name before opening fire from their van, police said.

The boys, whose names were not released for their own protection, were taken to an area hospital after the 12:14 a.m. shooting at Pacific and Warner avenues, said Santa Ana Police Sgt. Bob Clark.

Both were listed in critical but stable condition and are expected to survive, Clark said.

Officers received the call of the shooting from the 7-Eleven store in the 1400 block of West Warner Avenue, Clark said. When they arrived, they found the 12-year-old victim lying on the floor just inside the store with three gunshot wounds--two to his chest, and one to his lower stomach.

The second victim, 16, was on the sidewalk on Pacific Avenue, just north of Warner Avenue, with one gunshot to his chest, police said.

Both victims and a witness said an early 1980s white or light gray van with windows all around it--possibly a Volkswagen--had driven north on Pacific Avenue from Warner Avenue and stopped just east of where both victims were standing.

The witness and the victims heard the occupants yell a gang name, and then several shots were fired from the van, Clark said.

Both victims fell to the ground and the van headed north on Pacific Avenue.

Clark said the 12-year-old walked to the 7-Eleven before collapsing inside. The two boys are not related to each other.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Santa Ana Police Department gang unit at (714) 647-5165.