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Youth violence in
Ewa Villages turns
neighborhood
into ‘war zone’
Residents say they
By Leila Fujimori
feel like prisoners
in their own homes
Star-BulletinSome Miula Street residents in Ewa Villages are worried about crime in their neighborhood, citing a fight at a party Saturday night that resulted in the shooting death of a male teen-ager and the stabbing of another as the latest in a series of problems.
"It was like a war zone," said one homeowner who wants to move from the redeveloped neighborhood.
"A lot of gangs hang out here," another resident said.
Residents, who asked that their names not be used, say their street is overrun with youths arriving in cars at all hours with blaring stereos.
"Why should we be prisoners in our own homes?" one woman asked.
The shooting victim, who has not been positively identified, was pronounced dead at St. Francis-West Hospital. He is between 16 and 19 years old, police said.
The stabbing victim, 19, is in guarded condition at Queen's Hospital, according to police.
About 100 youths were partying at 91-1524 Miula St. when about 10 young men arrived.
An argument erupted, and the young men at the house told the group to leave, which they did, said Jason Escalante, 15, a resident of the house.
"The guys came back carrying weapons -- belt, bats, chains," said Joey Perez, 17, a Campbell High School student.
"They came back and starting whacking (hitting) guys," said another resident of the house and Jason's sister, Joann Escalante, who was having a joint birthday celebration with a 15-year-old girl who invited the group of 10.
Joann Escalante identified the young men as gang members.
She was hit on her left side with a baseball bat and dropped to the ground but suffered no serious injuries.
Neighbors saw six teen-agers at one end of the street beating another teen-ager with bricks, who was also stabbed and taken to Queen's Hospital. His medical condition was not available.
Next door to the large party, a 14-year-old girl was having a baby shower in the carport.
After opening the last gift, "I stood up to thank everyone for coming, and I saw people running toward the beginning of the street," said the expectant mother. "I saw a guy with a gun shoot up in the air."
Terrified baby-shower guests rushed into the house. The girl's mother said she saw a teen-ager shot and fall on the street in front of her house.
Witnesses heard a total of three shots.
Richard Robellos, 26, said he arrived at the birthday party with the shooting victim but left him behind.
"When we heard the gunshots, we ran," Robellos said. He and his other friends fled in a friend's car.
"We didn't know he got shot," Robellos said.
