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OC 3rd striker charged with attempted murder for shooting at undercover gang officers

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Published  November 27, 2024 1:31pm PST
Orange
FOX 11

The Brief

    • Orange resident Victor Manuel Trinidad was charged with shooting at undercover gang officers on Nov. 21.
    • Officials said this is his "third strike."
    • Trinidad is being held without bail and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted on all counts.

ORANGE, Calif. - The Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday that a third striker has been charged with two felony counts of attempted murder after he allegedly fired shots at two undercover gang officers in the city of Orange. 

The suspect was identified by authorities as 28-year-old Victor Manuel Trinidad. 

Officials said on the evening of Nov. 21, two undercover gang officers with the Orange Police Department were in an unmarked patrol vehicle when Trinidad greeted them by saying "What’s up homie, where you from?" and proceeded to grab something from his waistband. The officers believed the suspect had a gun. 

The officers returned to the area 20 minutes later where they located him and as they got out of their vehicle, he began to walk in their direction. While exiting the unmarked patrol car, Trinidad was accused of opening fire at the officers, prompting them to shoot back.

"This dangerous criminal didn’t care who was in that car; he opened fire to send a message that they didn’t belong in his neighborhood," said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer in a released statement. "Thankfully, the officers were not injured and they will continue to do the work to protect our communities from the scourge of gangs."

Officers later found him hiding in a cabinet of a nearby home. It’s unknown if Trinidad knew that those inside the car were law enforcement officers. 

SUGGESTED COVERAGE: California 'third striker,' who prosecutors warned posed threat to public, convicted of murder

He’s also been charged with one felony count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, one felony count of discharging a firearm at a vehicle, and one felony count of possession of a firearm by a felony. In addition, he was also charged with two felony enhancements of attempted premeditated murder, two felony enhancements of discharge of a firearm and one felony enhancement of personally using a firearm. 

Trinidad is being held without bail and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted on all counts.