Buena Park : Police Release Man Who Shot to Protect His Van

A 33-year-old Buena Park man was released from custody after he allegedly shot and wounded one of three men he claimed broke into his van, Buena Park police said Thursday.

Ivo Frederico Garcia, 33, told police he gave a verbal warning to three men he saw breaking into his van before firing once from a 12-gauge shotgun, Lt. William Cox said.

Garcia, who pointed the weapon from an upstairs window, said he only meant to “scare them” and not hurt anyone, Cox said.

Injured in the left arm and left chest area was Carlos Lopez, 21, of Fullerton, who admitted that he and two other unidentified men had broken into the van, Cox said.

Lopez was found lying in a driveway about midnight Wednesday in the 5900 block of Estrada Street. He was taken to La Palma Intercommunity Hospital, where he was in satisfactory condition, police said.

The other two men fled, police said.

Police initially arrested Garcia for assault with a deadly weapon. The charge was dropped after further investigation confirmed Garcia’s story, Cox said.

“We released him . . . at this time. But the investigation will be reviewed by the district attorney’s office,” Cox said.

Lopez was expected to be transported from the hospital to the jail ward at UCI Medical Center.