One dead, three injured in California shopping center shooting
WEST HILLS, Calif. (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - Authorities are investigating a shooting that occurred in West Hills early Saturday afternoon that left one person dead and three others hospitalized.
The circumstances leading up to the shooting are not clear at this point, but Los Angeles Police Department officers reported that an unknown gunman opened fire on the three victims just before 3:45 p.m. in the Trader Joe's parking lot located in the area of Vanowen Street, near Fallbrook Avenue.
During a press conference, LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton noted that the shooting stemmed from a dispute between two parties in an apparent drug deal gone wrong.
"Our preliminary investigation has revealed that the dispute centered around a narcotics transaction in the area," Hamilton said during a press conference Saturday evening. "During that dispute, multiple suspects produced firearms and fired at each other."
Hit-and-run
Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed that one of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene, while three others were hospitalized. All of the victims are adults. At least one of the victim is in critical condition and another in serious condition, police added.
"Following the incident here, where the gunfire occurred, one of the suspects fled from this location," Hamilton said, noting that an LAPD airship monitoring the situation from overhead witnessed the suspect fleeing in a vehicle with a window that was shattered by gunfire. "That suspect became involved in a hit-and-run traffic collision, where they injured someone else and continued fleeing the area."
Police noted that the injured person is not believed to have suffered any life-threatening injuries.
At some point, the suspect switched into another vehicle, which the airship witnessed. Hamilton noted that at the same time, one of the gunshot victims was pronounced dead at the scene, which instantly led to the suspect being wanted for murder.
