3 killed in separate L.A. shootings in 24 hours
Four others are hurt in the violence on a street, at a restaurant and near a nightclub.
Two men and a woman were killed in three separate shootings in Los Angeles in less than 24 hours, police said Saturday. Four other people were wounded in the incidents.
New details have emerged in a fatal shooting Friday night at the Pink Pepper Thai restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard. The shooting apparently resulted from an argument on the eatery’s patio during which a man pulled out a gun and pointed it at a woman, who tried to grab it, police sources said.
During the struggle, the unidentified woman was shot once and pronounced dead at a local hospital, authorities said. The man was shot twice and was being treated at a local hospital.
Initial reports said that both had been shot by two gunmen. Authorities emphasized that police were still trying to piece together what happened.
It was not immediately clear whether the man and the woman involved knew each other, said Norma Eisenman, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department.
Separately, police were investigating a gang-related shooting early Saturday that left one man dead and three others wounded near the Mayan nightclub downtown.
The shooting, involving members of the 18th Street and Mara Salvatrucha gangs, occurred just before 3 a.m. near the intersection of Hill Street and Olympic Boulevard, police said.
Witnesses told police that a group of men were arguing outside the club after it had closed. Both sides were heard calling out gang names. One person grabbed a gun from a car in a nearby parking lot and began firing, police said.
One of the men was shot in the head and later died at a local hospital, authorities said. His name was not immediately available. The three wounded men were taken to a local hospital. Police said all of the victims were uncooperative.
“There were dozens of people around when this happened, and we’re sure someone knows who the shooter is,” Lt. Paul Vernon said in a statement. “In the age of video phones, we hope someone might come forward with video of the shooting or a description of the car the suspect left in.”
Also Saturday morning, a 40-year-old Latino man, who was not identified, died after being shot multiple times in the 1100 block of King Avenue in Wilmington in what police suspected was a gang-related incident. The victim was taken to county UCLA Harbor Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 8 a.m.
Anyone with information about the shootings is urged to call homicide detectives at (213) 972-1249. Anonymous tips can be left by calling Crime stoppers at (800) 2228477 or by texting 274637.