2 Dead In Inglewood Strip Mall Shooting
INGLEWOOD (CBSLA) — Police are investigating a walk-up shooting at an Inglewood strip mall that killed two people Tuesday.
Inglewood Police Department patrol units responded to a radio call of multiple shooting victims down in the 1100 block of N. La Brea Ave. around 3:30 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers discovered two male adult shooting victims, a police spokesperson stated. One of the victims was declared dead at the scene. The second victim was transported to a nearby trauma center where he was pronounced dead. A third victim remained in the hospital Tuesday night but was expected to survive.
Police are asking for the public's help identifying two persons of interest — a man and a woman captured on security video during the shooting.
Maurice Distin was working at the counter of a restaurant nearby when bullets flew. After the gunfire died down, Distin says a man who had been shot knocked on the backdoor of the restaurant.
"He looked very uncomfortable. He looked hurt and he was bleeding," he said, adding that the man wasn't able to talk about what led up to the shooting.
"I don't think he knew. It just happened so fast," he said.
Neighbors say the violence is upsetting because the attack happened at an intersection that's filled with businesses that get plenty of foot traffic.
"It's heartbreaking," said OrDeja Harmon. "My family is here. I have kids who walk in the neighborhood. We have kids that go to school here."
On Wednesday, people were mourning the death of a restaurant regular whose name they did not know, but who nonetheless was considered a friend by some.
A man who was working inside the restaurant at the time of the shooting said one of the victims was "just a local dude who comes gets food — innocent man." He said the shooting happened after an argument took place between two women. One of them said, "We're gonna be back," the worker told CBS2. Ten minutes later, he said a car being driven by a woman with a male passenger passed by and opened fire.
Three people told CBS2 off-camera the woman in the photo being supplied by police was definitely the shooter.
Police say the shooting victim who ran into the restaurant survived and he was not in the car.
It was not immediately clear if the victims are connected to the shooter.
Anyone with additional information about the incident is urged to contact the Inglewood Police Departments Homicide Section at 310-412-5246 or the 24-hour anonymous hotline number at "888-41-CRIME" (888-412-7463).
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
