Weekend hours restricted at Royal Palms Beach after shooting over the weekend
After a shooting left five people wounded over the weekend in San Pedro, city officials are taking measures to restrict public hours at one of the area's most popular beaches.
Royal Palms Beach was closed on Sunday and Monday after five people, including a teenage boy, were hospitalized when two suspects reportedly opened fire on a group of people having a barbecue.
The decision to restrict beach hours comes via joint statement from Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn and City Councilman Tim McOsker, who announced that the beach will close at 4:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday every weekend, with the beach closing at dusk throughout the rest of the week.
Both city leaders say that this isn't the first time that the popular beachside destination has caused concern amongst residents, including noise complaints, large crowds and fights that often occur on the weekends.
"We need to balance preserving access to this beach with the demands of public safety," Hahn said in a statement. "This shooting was an escalation of a series of problems we have had at Royal Palms. Closing the beach early on weekends is going to help us prevent another tragedy while we work with law enforcement on a long-term strategy."
In a similar statement, McOsker said: "The tragedy of this weekend highlights why it's so important to keep our beaches and our parks safe."
"Our community remains shaken by the shooting that occurred last Saturday and I hope the suspects are quickly apprehended and brought to justice," McOsker, who's 15th Council District oversees San Pedro, continued in the statement. "Royal Palms has previously been a place of dangerous behavior so it's critical we make adjustments now for the safety of our neighbors and beachgoers."
Of the five people hospitalized on Saturday, one was said to be a 15-year-old boy. As of Monday evening, two people remained hospitalized, one of which is said to be in critical condition. The rest have been released after receiving treatment.
LAPD officers told KCAL News that the suspects, both male, are believed to have fled from the scene in a gray sedan after firing upon the crowd with a semiautomatic handgun.
One of the suspects has been described as a man in his 20s, who stands around 6'1" tall and weighs around 160 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black mask and all black clothing.
