Four teens arrested after woman and child are injured by BB gun in Seal Beach

Four teenage boys were arrested after allegedly firing a BB gun from a vehicle in Seal Beach on Sunday, leaving a woman and 5-year-old child with minor injuries. The incident is the latest in a rash of similar attacks involving pellet guns in Orange County, police reported.

The boys randomly targeted a group of people in a park at Electric Avenue and 12th Street at approximately 5 p.m., according to Seal Beach police Sgt. Michael Henderson. Following the drive-by attack, the vehicle description was broadcast to patrol officers and the car was located in the immediate area shortly thereafter. One BB gun was recovered.

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The two victims were treated by paramedics at the scene and released.

Identifying details about the suspects were being withheld because of their age; two of the perpetrators are 16 and two are 17, Henderson said. One suspect was being held in custody while the other three were released to their parents.

Investigators said at least six other pellet gun attacks have been reported in Orange County since April this year.

“We know about those other attacks, but right now we don’t have anything that is established as a connection,” Henderson said.

Last Wednesday, a woman and her male passenger were hit by pellet gun projectiles on the Harbor Boulevard off-ramp north of the 22 Freeway, City News Service reported.

On July 18, two drive-by BB gun attacks were reported in Buena Park within 15 minutes of each other. In both cases, the attackers were described as four people in a dark, four-door compact car, and the victims were homeless men who were struck in the face.

Newport Beach police reported three pellet gun shootings in a 24-hour span near the 1900 block of Sherington Place on April 10 and 11.

Although Henderson has never seen a case where a BB gun caused a life-threatening injury, he said they can be dangerous.

“Especially if you get shot at close range or shot in a vulnerable part like your eye,” Henderson said. “They can cause serious harm.”

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