Girl, 12, Among Two Wounded In South LA Drive-By Shooting
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – A woman and a 12-year-old girl were hurt in a shooting in a residential South Los Angeles neighborhood Sunday night.
The gunfire erupted while a family was celebrating their grandmother's birthday just before 7 p.m. in the 1700 block of 74th Street, near Western Avenue.
According to Los Angeles police, two suspects pulled up in a car and one got out and opened fire.
A 37-year-old woman was struck in the stomach and a 12-year-old girl was struck in the leg. They were rushed to a nearby hospital. They were not identified.
The gunman was believed to be shooting at rival gang members, police said. However, the two victims were not related to either gang.
The two suspects fled and remained at large Monday.
"I was in my room and I thought it was firecrackers," said a woman named Marcia who did not want her last name used.
Marcia woke up to realize her car was struck twice by gunfire and a bullet was still lodged in her door.
"Imagine the kids," Marcia said. "The trauma our kids have to deal with in our community. And I'm saying, 'Why?'"
Both victims were recovering from their wounds, but Marcia said the community needs more than prayers.
"I think there needs to be more intervention in terms of putting cameras up to patrol," she said.
Early Sunday morning, three men were shot at a bar in East L.A. and the L.A. County Sheriff is investigating five homicides from Saturday and Sunday alone.
"It breaks my heart most of all," said another neighbor. "I'm a mother, a grandmother and it's so painful for me to see that everyone has so much hate in families."
The 12-year-old girl was said to be out of the hospital and recovering at home as of Monday afternoon while the woman remained hospitalized.
The Los Angeles Police Department is reporting 103 homicides and 412 people shot so far this year.
