A man was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing a woman as she was driving in a residential neighborhood in Orange.
On May 6, Amber Parsons, 24, of Costa Mesa, and a passenger were inside her Honda SUV as they drove near Highland Street and Del Mar Avenue around 12:30 a.m.
They had just turned around in a cul-de-sac on Highland when a gunman suddenly appeared on foot and began firing at them from behind their car.
Parsons was struck by the gunfire and pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger, described only as a woman in her 20s, was uninjured.
The suspect fled the scene before Orange police officers arrived. The back windshield of Parsons’ SUV was shattered by gunfire and several bullet holes could be seen on the car’s body.
Investigators later identified Allan Plata, 21, of Orange, as the murder suspect. On May 9, Orange police, along with SWAT Team members and La Habra police, surrounded a home in La Habra where Plata was taken into custody.
He was arrested for murder, attempted murder, and a probation violation and was booked at the Orange County Jail.
A motive behind the deadly shooting remains unclear.
“It’s unknown what led up to the shooting, why it happened, if it was random or if it was targeted,” said Lt. Phil McMullin with the Orange Police Department. “Our detectives are actively working this case.”
Police said the two victims did not have any obvious reason for being in the neighborhood, as neither of them lived there. However, police did note that the area was known to have gang activity.
The deadly shooting occurred in the same intersection where a man allegedly opened fire on police officers in November 2024. He was eventually apprehended after a manhunt and remains in custody.
No further details were released as the deadly shooting remains under investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Orange Police Department at 714-744-7571.
Anonymous tips can be provided to OC Crime Stoppers at 1-855-847-6227 or online at occrimestoppers.org.
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