One person is dead, and three more were injured during a shooting in a parking lot outside a Los Angeles Trader Joe’s.
Police responded to a shooting at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday after a gunman opened fire during a dispute. The Los Angeles Police Department is calling the shooting gang-related and believes it stemmed from a drug deal gone wrong.
“Our preliminary investigation has revealed that the dispute centered around a narcotics transaction in the area,” LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said during a press conference. “During that dispute, multiple suspects produced firearms and fired at each other.”
One of the shooting victims was reported deceased at the scene, with three others being transported to the hospital. One of the victims was said to be in critical condition, and another was listed in serious condition. All of the victims are adults.
The gunman fled the scene in a vehicle that had sustained damage in the shootout with an LAPD airship monitoring from above. The person was involved in a hit-and-run traffic collision, injuring another person.
According to police, the person is not believed to have suffered any severe injury in the accident.
After continuing to flee, the suspect changed vehicles and was chased by police before eventually pulling over. The suspect and a female passenger were taken into custody.
Investigators located two guns in the parking lot connected to the case. NBC News reports that three suspects are in custody, including the man and woman involved in the police chase. None of the suspects or victims have been identified.
Hamilton said LAPD officers are working to determine if any of the people at the hospital are also suspects.
