2 Students Wounded in Shootings Near Schools

Two students were shot and seriously wounded near school campuses Monday in separate incidents that police described as gang related.

Manuel Yepiz, 15, of Sun Valley, was shot in the back as he, his brother and mother left the parking lot of John H. Francis Polytechnical High School in Sun Valley, where the two boys had registered for class. Police said Yepiz was hospitalized in critical, but stable condition after he was stuck at least once by bullets fired from a passing van. No arrests had been made.

In the second shooting, a 16-year-old student was shot Monday while standing across from the Belmont High School campus at 1275 W. 2nd St., west of downtown Los Angeles.

Several boys went over to talk to occupants of a car that had driven up when a passenger in the back seat pulled a gun and began firing, police said.

Los Angeles Unified School District police chased the car and arrested two minors and a 20-year-old man who was not identified. Officers also recovered a .22 caliber pistol. The three were booked for investigation of attempted murder.