LOS ANGELES, CA – Two individuals believed to be gang members have been apprehended in relation to a series of fatal shootings that took place in the Los Angeles area, resulting in the deaths of four people, including a young boy of 14 years. The information was released by local law enforcement on Tuesday.
The series of violent incidents transpired within a few hours between Sunday evening and early Monday, spreading across the cities of Huntington Park, Bell, Cudahy, and Los Angeles, as per the LA County Sheriff’s Department.
While a clear motive is yet to be established by investigators, the initial assumption is that the victims were chosen at random, without any prior connection to the suspects, shared Homicide Captain Andrew Meyer of the Sheriff’s Department in a press briefing on Tuesday.
Meyer added, “This appears to be a random murder spree. However, we are not ruling out any possibilities at this stage.”
A search is underway for a potential third suspect, although no specific details have been revealed. Authorities have assured the public that there is no continuing threat.
The first victim, an adult male, was discovered dead around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday in Bell, southeast of downtown LA, following reports of gunfire, according to Meyer. Shortly after midnight on Monday, another man was fatally shot in a shopping center parking lot in LA.
Within a quarter of an hour, two juveniles were shot in nearby Cudahy. A 14-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries at the scene, while the other juvenile is currently hospitalized in stable condition. The fourth fatal shooting took place in Huntington Park just before 2 a.m., where a homeless man, known to local residents, was found dead on a street curb, as reported by the city’s Police Chief, Cosme Lozano.
A Honda Pilot was identified by sheriff’s investigators as a potential suspect vehicle, seen on surveillance footage near all four shooting locations. The vehicle was later stopped in a traffic operation east of Los Angeles, leading to the arrest of a 42-year-old man with a significant criminal record. The second suspect, a 20-year-old man with no criminal history, was apprehended after a search warrant was executed at a residence in Compton.
Both suspects, believed to be gang members, could face murder charges, although it remains unclear whether both men discharged firearms. No weapons have been recovered so far. Authorities have called for witnesses or anyone with information to contact the sheriff’s department.