Our people, including a minor, have died, and the two suspects have been detained in a series of seemingly random late-night** incidents on the streets of southeastern Los Angeles County, U.S. authorities said.
The attack took place overnight on Sunday and Monday along the county's dense industrial and residential areas, from Cudahy to Bell to Huntington Park, and the fifth victim was also described as a teenager who survived and was stable in the hospital, U.S. authorities said at a news conference.
According to U.S. authorities, the two suspects belonged to a gang, but when asked if he believed the attacks were part of the gang's launching ceremony, Captain Andrew Meyer did not answer. One other person may be involved.
Huntington Park Police Chief Cosme Lozano said the victim in his city was a known homeless person.
We believe these are random acts of violence," he said. "Our victims are known local homelessness in our community. We know that he is just walking down the street and is a random target.
Meyer said the attack occurred around 10:30 p.m. when U.S. authorities responded to the ** report and found one man injured and the other uninjured.
He said the first man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Just after midnight, in a neighborhood on Florence Avenue outside Los Angeles, another report of a gunshot took delegates to a parking lot, where they found a man with gunshot wounds who was eventually pronounced dead at the scene, Meyer said.
About 12 minutes later, another gunfire report from Kudashi sent representatives to the area, where they found two boys who had been hit. One of the two was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was stabilized in hospital, the captain said.
Just before 2 a.m., Meyer said a patrolling Huntington Park police officer spotted a man on the street on Monday. He said the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The captain did not find any victims.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department took over command, said Sheriff ** Case Bureau Captain Meyer. He said the footage of the security cameras appeared to show a Honda pilot SUV at or near each scene.
On Monday afternoon, representatives of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department were on patrol when they encountered a pilot with a matching license plate number, stopped him and detained a person, Meyer said.
Los Angeles detectives quickly detained the man, who was identified as Gary Jonathan Garcia, 42. Meyer said he had an "extensive criminal history."
Another suspect was in Compton** Monday night with the help of SWAT team members, Meyer said. The suspect was identified as Wayne McNeely Timberland, 20. The captain said he had no criminal record.
It is unclear which suspect fired the shot, Meyer said.
Garcia and Timberland, as well as a third person linked to the attack but not named, were affiliated with a gang, the captain said.
Some of the Los Angeles gangs that have expanded in the region and across the country have their roots in the southeast of downtown. Out of concern for public safety, the specific gang to which the suspect belonged was not disclosed.
Meyer said the case will be referred to prosecutors later this week for consideration of possible charges. Currently, he said, both suspects are booked on suspicion of **.
There is no indication that they know any of the victims," Meyer said.
Los Angeles County Superintendent Janice Hahn, who represents the district, praised the sheriff's department for catching the suspect so quickly after the crime.
I think it makes everyone nervous," she said at a press conference. "I'm grateful to be here today. ”