Teen shot in apparent random act after searching for Lancaster Halloween party

LANCASTER, Calif. (KABC) -- In an apparently random act, a teen was shot multiple times on Halloween night after he and his friends were trying to find a party in Lancaster posted on Instagram.

"I lost it," said the teen's mother, Lindsey, describing the moment she got a 3 a.m. call about her son being in the hospital. "I literally lost it. It's a mother's worst nightmare."

The incident happened after her 16-year-old son Gabriel and some friends headed out to look for a party in Lancaster that had been posted on Instagram.

When they showed up at the address, there was no party there. It was apparently a hoax.

To make matters worse, their car broke down.

The disappointed teens had spent about half an hour trying to fix the car when another vehicle drove up. A person unknown to them got out and without saying a word, started firing what was believed to be an assault weapon, according to Lindsey.

Gabriel was struck by gunfire five times. Lindsey thinks there may have been another person hit, but so far authorities have not reported any additional injuries.

"He just remembers getting shot and screaming," she said. "So he takes off running and finds a random person driving, stops them and asks them if they can drop him off at the emergency room."

Investigators remain on the hunt for the shooter and have released few details about what they have found so far.

Lindsey and her son are left traumatized by the senseless act of violence.

"They have no idea. They didn't know the people, they didn't know the car. They knew nothing. He cried and was like 'Mom we were literally just trying to go to a party.' And they have no idea why this happened."

Gabriel's family has started a GoFundMe to help cover his medical expenses.