Suspects in San Pedro park shooting still at large; 8th victim found at hospital

Community leaders are calling for better security and enforcement after two unpermitted events bringing hundreds of people to a usually family-friendly San Pedro ended with a fatal shooting.

Two people were killed Sunday in the gunfire that erupted at Peck Park, in the 500 block of Western Avenue. A man and four women were immediately identified as having been wounded, and police now say a sixth person drove themselves to the hospital with a gunshot wound. All six who were wounded are in stable condition, according to the LAPD.

The shots were fired as hundreds of people were at the park — as many as 500 for an unpermitted car show, and even more for a softball game between teams of former gang members looking to bring peace. The gunfire is believed to have occurred near the softball game, at the same field where Roterria Scott's 10-year-old son's baseball team won their league championship just the weekend before.

"We would never imagined that on a beautiful Sunday like it was, that people would be getting murdered and shot," Scott said.

Scott, her son, and several members of the community gathered at the park Monday to call for more enforcement of park permits and security.

"We are outraged that we have these outside people coming into our community and using our facilities with no permits," activist Najee Ali said. "What happened yesterday was a tragedy, it could have been prevented had permits been granted."

According to the LAPD, multiple guns were discovered at the park and recovered as evidence. However, there are no suspects in custody and no suspect information.

"How are they monitoring this park?" asked Lawanda Hawkins, of Justice for Murdered Children. "What was the schedule for yesterday? Who checked? Who was supposed to be in charge?" 

Anyone with information about Sunday's shooting call the LAPD's South Bureau Homicide Detectives at (323) 786-5113.