West Adams was a bloody scene last night after a fight erupted between two groups of people in a restaurant. According to the LAPD, late Friday night about 50 people gathered in a home that has been converted into a restaurant in West Adams, which is located in South Los Angeles, California.
It appears that the people were attending a party when an argument broke out. Three men left the gathering and returned with several weapons and began shooting at another group of patrons. Many of the partygoers found themselves caught in the middle of a gun battle. Witnesses said the chaos spilled onto the driveway of the restaurant.
The shooting left three people dead and 12 injured – they were all taken to nearby hospitals. Their identities and health status have not been revealed to the media. Many believe that the gunfight might have been drug related. The authorities were quick to take two suspects into custody before they fled the restaurant. However, the police are actively searching for the others who participated in the deadly shooting.
LAPD Capt. Peter Whittingham confirmed that the two people in custody are a man and a woman and for the time being they are considered as “persons of interest” and have not been arrested or charged with any crime. He said:
“We have street names for these suspects but we don’t know who the killers are yet. The people shot either don’t know the killers or aren’t telling us what they do know.”
It has also been confirmed that a weapon has been found near the restaurant. Deputy Chief Bill Scott, head of the LAPD’s South bureau, said in a statement that they are working to find out what happened and catch the people responsible. He shared:
“This is real tragic. We have a lot of sorting out to do. When the shooting started, everyone scattered. Our detectives are getting a better picture of what unfolded.”
Sgt. Frank Preciado added:
“When we got there, there were three people dead and people running everywhere.We had multiple people with gunshot wounds. It’s a bloody scene with shell casings everywhere.”
The owner of the place, who did not wish to disclose his identity, said he owns a Jamaican catering service at his home and denied the claims that he was operating a restaurant. He stated that he was hosting a birthday party when the drama occurred. He also confirmed that in 2011 there was a gunfight at the same location during an event.
