02.16.2021 | 10:59 PM | SANTA ANA – A man was dead after being shot near an illegal gambling establishment and then collapsing outside a fast food restaurant, late Tuesday night.
Police found the victim after receiving calls of a man down suffering from a possible gunshot wound outside the Cozy Corner Drive-In, located in the 400 block of North Harbor Boulevard, shorty before 11:00 PM.
First responders found the adult male victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his torso and initiated lifesaving efforts before transporting him to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.
Officers determined the victim had been shot just south of where he was found at an illegal gambling operation located in the 300 block of North Harbor Boulevard.
Three men were detained near the illegal gambling operation but their involvement in the shooting remains under investigation.
Illegal gambling establishments, called “slap houses” due to the sound of gamblers slapping machine buttons inside, have proliferated in Orange County recently.
Less than a month ago on January 27th, 2021 four people were injured after being shot at a slap house and on February 3rd, 2021 police raided another slap house.
Anyone with information regarding the fatal shooting is urged to contact the Santa Ana Police Department’s Homicide Section Detectives by calling (714) 245-8390.
Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling the Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS or by visiting their website at https://occrimestoppers.org/.