Teen allegedly shot over car break-ins

When Marqus Hill went outside last Sunday and observed three men breaking into cars on East Gale Street, he thought he was a victim.

So Hill, authorities said, took the law into his own hands by retrieving a 40-caliber handgun and shooting 18-year-old Irving Santana over and over again. Santana was shot 13 times and pronounced dead shortly after the incident, authorities said.

Hill, 28, of North Marshall Street, was charged yesterday with murder and related offenses. Authorities said they did not know why Hill allegedly fired the gun so many times.

“He thought they were breaking into his vehicle,” Lt. Frank Vanore said.

In 2005, Hill was charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault, and police suspended his license to carry. Court records could not be found yesterday to determine the outcome. An appeal for a new permit in 2008 was denied, but last year Hill obtained a permit from Florida through the Internet, Vanore said.

Authorities obtained a search warrant for Hill’s home, where they recovered other weapons but not the alleged murder weapon, Vanore said.

“We don’t think that somebody we’ve investigated and denied a permit should have the right to go to another state [when they have] no contact with the state,” he said.