UPDATE: Fullerton PD has released that the suspect who was pronounced dead yesterday was Adrian Gonzalez, 37 of Anaheim.
An apparent lover’s quarrel escalated into an attempted murder, suicide near Downtown Fullerton shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
According to Sgt. Kathryn Hamel of the Fullerton Police Department, the incident has left the male shooter dead and the male victim in critical condition.
“At this point, we are investigating it as a lover’s quarrel,” Hamel said. “We believe that the shooter and the female were at some point either married or estranged, and the male victim is an acquaintance of the female.”
Shortly after 1:30 p.m. Fullerton police officers on patrol near the 100 block of E. Ash Avenue heard shots fired and called additional officers for support.
After arriving on the scene near the southeast corner of E. Ash Avenue and Harbor Boulevard, the responding officers found two males on the ground suffering from gunshot wounds.
According to Hamel, the female was driving a black Toyota Camry and apparently stopped at that location, when the male in the backseat exited the vehicle and opened fire on the other male in the front passenger seat.
Police believe that the victim then exited the vehicle and attempted to get away, but the shooter followed him, continuing to fire shots, dropping the victim to the ground. Shortly after, the shooter turned the gun on himself and took his own life.
The incident came as a shock to local residents.
“I had just got home and heard gun shots,” said Queny Ocampo, 19-year-old Ash Street resident. “It’s shocking, nothing like this has ever happened here.”
Both males were transported to UCI Medical Center. The shooter was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. As of 3:45 p.m. the victim was said to be alive, but in critical condition and being treated for multiple gunshot wounds.
The female driver, whom police believe to be the ex-wife or estranged lover of the shooter, was unharmed and being questioned by officers at this time.
Hamel said that they are still talking to witnesses who were at the scene to try and piece things together more clearly.
As of 5:18 p.m. Hamel said that the victim is expected to survive and police are towing the vehicle from the crime scene.