Josue Santillan drove a car with four other passengers: Diana Hernandez, Santillan’s girlfriend, in the front passenger seat, Joel Castaneda, directly behind Hernandez, and two others, at least one of them male, also in the back seat.

Santillan was a member of the Canoga Park Alabama (CPA) street gang. As they passed a park, the male passengers flashed gang hand signs and shouted challenges at members of the Reseda street gang who were in the park.