5 Gang Members Arrested in Connection with the Killing Teen Boy

Five young gang members were behind bars Friday in connection with the killing of a teenage boy last week near Oceanside High School, authorities said.

Detectives arrested Francisco Barajas, 21, Omar Alejandro Garcia, 18, Roberto Medina, 17, Jose Zamora, 17, and Juan Zarita, 17, late Thursday night and early this morning in connection with the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Javier Luna, according to police.

About 1:45 p.m. Jan. 29, officers responding to a reported assault found the victim in the courtyard of an apartment complex in the 200 block of South Weitzel Street, suffering from wounds to his chest. The teen, who lived nearby, was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later, Lt. Leonard Mata said.

A dispute between rival gangs over graffiti and vandalism apparently prompted the fatal assault, Capt. Ray Bechler said Friday afternoon.

Authorities declined to say if the victim was a gang member, though his relatives told reporters he was not.

-City News Service