Investigations continue in shootings
Three non-USC males were shot on the evening of Tuesday, June 8, west of Vermont Avenue near the university, resulting in two deaths. The shootings were most likely gang-related, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The first shooting occurred at 5:20 p.m. near 35th Street and Budlong Avenue when police say a man in a white T-shirt approached the victim and shot him, fatally wounding him.
Ten minutes after the first incident, four men shot and killed the second victim near Normandie Avenue and 35th Place. The suspects then drove away from the area in a black Pontiac, according to witnesses.
The third shooting occurred near Catalina and 36th streets at 9:30 p.m., when police said a suspect shot and injured the victim. Witnesses did not see the suspect, but said he might have left the area in a burgundy Cadillac.
Lucy Mueller | Daily Trojan
LAPD requested the assistance of USC’s Department of Public Safety in response to the incidents, said DPS Capt. David Carlisle.
“According to LAPD, this appears to be gang related and this appears to be specifically targeted victims,” Carlisle said. “It appears that [the three shootings] are related.”
In response to the incidents, DPS plans to increase its presence in the area of the shootings, Carlisle said.
“We are going to redeploy a variety of our DPS resources into that neighborhood … in hopes of discouraging any further violence,” Carlisle said.
DPS released a university-wide crime alert early morning Wednesday, June 9, 2010.
The victims are not connected to the university, but students in the area should be alert, Carlisle said.
“When there’s that kind of violence in a neighborhood, students should be concerned and take reasonable caution,” Carlisle said. “We hope that they take the crime alert to heart.”
“Students should continue to follow our normal crime prevention tips: Don’t walk alone late at night, take advantage of Campus Cruiser and other transportation services, be aware of your surroundings, and if you see something suspicious or you perceive something that doesn’t feel right, call DPS,” Carlisle said.
Anyone with information about these crimes is asked to call DPS at 213-740-4321 or LAPD Southwest Area at 213-485-6571.
Always good to see California gun laws in action!
I’m sure the gentlemen who pulled the trigger were law abiding citizens, who had completed the necessary background checks (and, thanks to proactive California statutes, waited 10 days) and thankfully didn’t have hi-capacity magazines – that would have been tragic. But they’ll be found, and surely pay a few rehabilitating years in overcrowded prisons for their reckless actions.
Sarcasm aside, it is yet another instance of pure nonsense.
Sad.