Suspect in MacArthur Park shooting is arraigned

A man with prior felony convictions was arrested on suspicion of being the gunman behind last week’s gang-related shooting in MacArthur Park that injured four men and a woman, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said in a news release Monday.

Jose Daniel Amaya, 27, was arraigned Monday on five counts of attempted murder with five gun sentencing enhancements that add jail time for committing a felony using a firearm. Officials say Amaya fired multiple shots into a group of people near Wilshire Boulevard and South Alvarado Street on Jan. 22 around 12:40 a.m.

All five victims were transported to a nearby hospital. Police say the victims were bystanders during a confrontation between rival gangs. Amaya was arrested that day, according to the district attorney’s office.

Amaya previously had two felony convictions under the state’s “three strikes” law. The district attorney’s office said he could face multiple life terms in prison if convicted.

“Gun violence continues to be a devastating scourge in Los Angeles, and today my office has taken decisive action by filing five gun sentencing enhancements, one for each victim,” Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said Monday. “These enhancements carry an additional penalty of 25 years to life in prison. This is a clear and unequivocal message: gun violence will not be tolerated in Los Angeles County.”

Amaya’s bail was set at $8 million.