Murder in GG mars an otherwise quiet Fourth

By Jacob Wilson and Fernando Alcantara/Garden Grove Journal

Independence Day activity and tragedy kept Garden Grove police and fire forces busy, but it was a quiet night in Stanton and Westminster.

The Garden Grove Police Department was very active, according to Lt. Kevin Boddy. The department issued several citations for fireworks-related violations. As of Tuesday, the count for $1000 citations was 44 and the number of $100 fines was seven.

The Garden Grove Fire Department responded to a call of a man who injured himself using an illegal Roman candle firework. The man’s injury status was not reported.

Despite loosened fireworks rules in both Stanton and Westminster, neither city reported any fireworks-related damages or violations. The Orange County Fire Authority saw no activity in either city, according to public information officer Capt. Greg McKeown.

Westminster Police Department spokesperson Cpl. Cameron Knauerhaze said the department received only a few noise complaints.

It was the first Independence Day holiday for Westminster after voters in 2011 approved rhe sale of “safe and sane” fireworks, reversing an earlier ban.

There were no calls for Stanton Police Services, said Orange County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Jim Amormino.

Though fireworks did not cause major problems, the holiday was not without tragedy.

Garden Grove resident Emanuel Pennington, 23, was stabbed to death just after midnight on July 5 in rhe 8200 block of Acacia Street, near Fern Avenue during an altercation involving three or four people at a party.

Another victim, Jairo Gaona, 28, also of Garden Grove, was discovered by police at UCI Medical Center in stable condition.

A suspect was still at large and no weapons had been recovered as of Tuesday. Investigators do not believe the incident was gang-related, although some of those involved had gange ties.

Anyone with information about the attack is asked to contact the Garden Grove Police Department at (714) 741-5800.