2 dead, 2 injured in shooting at Halloween party in Covina
Two people are dead and two others are hurt after a shooting at a Halloween party in Covina.
The shooting occurred just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday at a home in the 17000 block of East Bellbrook Street. It was there that authorities say at least one suspect produced a handgun and started shooting after an argument broke out.
"We know that there was a fight, it was a physical altercation that started in the backyard," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Sergeant Guillermo Morales. "Spilled into the driveway where the shooting occurred."
They said that there were around 70 people at the party when the fight broke out.
One person was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other, a man in his 30s, was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Late Sunday, authorities identified one of the two victims as Ronnie Benitez, 20. He lived at the house where the shooting occurred.
Investigators believe that they are related, with the other victim being Benitez's uncle.
By the time authorities arrived, the suspect had already fled the scene and remained outstanding. Thus far they have been descried as a man in his 20s or 30s.
They are still working to determine whether there is more than one suspect involved.
Two other victims were taken to the hospital. One sustained non-life threatening wounds. The condition of the second individual was not known.
Family members of the deceased could be seen gathering at the residence late Sunday afternoon to mourn.
Investigators are still trying to determine what led up to the shooting, and were asking anyone with information to call the LASD's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
