Two men were arrested in Long Beach following a deadly shooting that claimed the life of a 27-year-old man, law enforcement officials said. The incident took place around 10:22 a.m. on Saturday, in the area of 7th Street and Maine Avenue. According to a news release from the Long Beach Police Department, the victim, identified as Anthony Valentino Lopez, was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering a gunshot wound to the upper body.
Officers swiftly located a suspect vehicle near Anaheim Street and Pine Avenue. In a statement obtained by KTLA, a police representative described that they conducted a felony traffic stop which led to arrests of two men and the recovery of a firearm. The suspects were identified as 33-year-old Alejandro Lara Delgado and 37-year-old Xavier Alexandro Vasquez, both residents of Long Beach.
An initial inquiry into the deadly encounter suggests that the victim and the assailants were known to each other and had been embroiled in a dispute leading up to the shooting, as reported by CBS Los Angeles. Following their arrest, the suspects were taken to Long Beach City Jail, where Delgado was booked on one count of murder with bail set at $2,000,000, while Vasquez, who had two unrelated outstanding warrants, saw his bail set at $2,020,000.
The motive behind the shooting is still under investigation, and law enforcement continues to appeal to the public for any information regarding the incident. Homicide Detectives Oscar Valenzuela or Leticia Gamboa have been assigned to the case, and anyone with information is urged to contact them, according to the Long Beach Police Department's official notice. The case is expected to be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office later this week for filing consideration.
