A Manteca man was shot in the legs Sunday night after he was called out of a home in the 600 block of Mission Ridge Drive where a birthday celebration was being held inside for a 15-year-old girl – with some 15 to 20 young teens attending.

Manteca Police Sergeant Chris Mraz said he suspected that the shooting was gang related. Five officers responded to the scene following a 911 call for help.

Luis Garcia, 23, was hit by two bullets about 8:30 p.m. from a small caliber weapon, police said. His wounds were reportedly not life threatening and he was transported by ambulance to San Joaquin County General Hospital.

Police said witnesses reported seeing a ‘90s model, four-door sedan leave the area at a high rate of speed traveling westbound on Mission Ridge Drive. There were reportedly five men seen in the vehicle believed to be in their early 20s.

Officers located two of the spent brass casings in the street; however, neighbors reported hearing at least five shots fired. The suspect car had been parked across the street from the house where the party was being held when the man was shot.

Other neighbors on the street were drawn out of their homes by the police and fire department response saying they had not heard any gunfire from inside their residences.

After the shooting the partygoers filed out of the home and stood by on the lawns and sidewalk area obviously unaware that they could be targets of a possible drive by attack. Warnings about standing in front of the house were ignored.

Ironically one car drove up slowly as the last two officers were leaving and handed a girl on the sidewalk a bouquet of roses.