On June 3, 2024, at approximately 6:42 p.m., Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 1100 block of South Poplar Street. Upon arrival, they discovered 19-year-old Santa Ana resident Angel Junior Vuelvas lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite immediate medical attention and transportation to a local hospital, Vuelvas was pronounced dead.
The initial investigation revealed that the suspects had fled the scene before officers arrived. SAPD Homicide Detectives took over the case and identified one of the suspects as 19-year-old Gabriel Gutierrez, also of Santa Ana. Gutierrez was arrested on June 7, 2024, and booked at the Santa Ana Jail on charges of murder under California Penal Code § 187(a). He was arraigned on June 11, 2024, in Orange County Superior Court.
Further investigation led to the arrest of a second suspect, 19-year-old Cesar Gaspar, who was charged on September 12, 2024, with murder, including special circumstances allegations of a drive-by shooting and criminal gang activity. Gaspar is accused of participating in the fatal shooting of Vuelvas. At his arraignment, Gaspar did not enter a plea, and the hearing was rescheduled for September 30, 2024.
The SAPD continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding Vuelvas's death, including the possibility of additional suspects and the motive behind the shooting. Detectives are exploring leads to determine if the incident was gang-related. They have urged anyone with information to contact the SAPD Homicide Section or Orange County Crime Stoppers.
