Police in Long Beach, California spent their Sunday searching for suspects in a late-night public shooting which left seven people wounded and many more terrified. Officers rendered first aid and called paramedics directly to the sin.
Units responded to calls reporting a shooting after eleven PM on Saturday night. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found the victims in the chaotic aftermath of the incident. The suspects, having fled the scene before the police arrived, were nowhere to be found. As of yet, no information has been forthcoming about what might have motivated the attack.
On Sunday, the Long Beach Police Department issued a statement indicating that at least two men opened fire on a group at approximately 11:15 PM near the corner of South Street and Paramount Boulevard on Saturday. All of those shot were adult men. Videos posted to social media in the aftermath of the incident showed a heavy presence of police outside of the Prendido de Noche night club near to the scene of the shooting.
A witness speaking to Fox11 Los Angeles revealed that they heard between fifteen and twenty distinct gunshots. A nightclub nearby suffered a hit from a stray bullet, according to a worker there who was also interviewed, but nobody in the club was injured.
The Long Beach Police Department said in their statement that the shooting has been under active investigation since shortly after it happened. Wally Hebeish, the Police Chief of Long Beach PD, vowed that his people will continue to investigate until those responsible for what he characterized as an “unacceptable act of gun violence” have been identified and arrested.
Of the seven victims, four were hospitalized in critical-but-stable condition. The remaining three suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.
In the absence of solid evidence to the contrary, police are proceeding under the assumption that the shooting was gang-related.
Anyone with information that may aid police in their investigation is urged to call Long Beach Homicide at 562-570-7244.
