Angel Junior Vuelvas was 19 and from Santa Ana when he was shot on the evening of Monday, June 3, 2024. Police responded about 6:42 p.m. to the 1100 block of South Poplar Street and found Vuelvas with multiple gunshot wounds. He was treated at the scene and taken to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries.

Santa Ana homicide detectives determined the shooting was gang-related and quickly identified a suspect, 19-year-old Gabriel Gutierrez of Santa Ana; he was arrested on June 7, 2024, and charged with murder with a gang-related sentencing enhancement. Further investigation identified a second participant, 19-year-old Cesar Gaspar of Westminster; he was arrested on September 10, 2024, and charged with murder with special-circumstance allegations of a drive-by shooting and criminal gang activity, plus weapon-related counts and a deadly-discharge enhancement. As of September 2024 the case was moving through the courts and the investigation remained active.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the SAPD Homicide Section at 714-245-8390 or leave an anonymous tip with Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.