Office shooter, victims identified

Partner in Long Beach law firm shot two colleagues before turning gun on self.

Authorities have identified the man who shot two colleagues before turning the gun on himself Friday at a Long Beach law office.

John Alexander Mendoza, 58, of Redondo Beach killed Major Langer, 75, and wounded Ronald Beck, 64, “before shooting himself,” according to the Long Beach Police Department.

Langer, a partner with the law office of Perona, Langer, Beck, Serbin, Mendoza and Harrsion, was fatally shot in the torso, according to police and the law firm.

As of Saturday evening, there was no lawyer with the last name Mendoza listed on the firm’s website, but the initial “M” remained in its logo online. On the State Bar of California website, John Alexander Mendoza is listed as working at the law firm’s Long Beach address.

Beck, another partner with the firm who suffered gunshot wounds to the torso and lower body, was taken to a hospital “by a third party” before police arrived, authorities said. Beck was in stable condition and is expected to survive, according to police.

Todd Harrison, another partner at the firm, issued a statement Saturday about the shootings.

“We are shocked and saddened by the tragedy … leaving one of our partners dead and another injured in a senseless act of workplace violence,” he said. “On behalf of our entire firm, we wish to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Major Langer .... Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, as well as with the family of Ronald Beck.”

Authorities are still investigating the motive for the shootings.

Police received a call of a shooting about 2:25 p.m. Friday in an office in the 300 block of East San Antonio Drive, police said.

Police arrived to find Mendoza and Langer dead. They found a weapon at the scene, police said.

“Several employees were in the office at the time of the shooting. However, no other injuries were reported,” according to the police statement.

Anyone with information can call Long Beach Police Department Homicide Dets. Donald Goodman and Mark Mattia at (562) 5707244.