Chaos erupted at a Torrance bowling alley when shots rang out in the parking lot late Saturday night, sending patrons scrambling for cover. According to KTLA, Torrance Police Department officers arrived at the Bowlero on 21915 S. Western Ave. shortly before midnight after reports of gunfire. A man was found injured from a gunshot wound in the parking lot and was immediately treated and taken to the hospital. The injuries were reported to be non-life-threatening.
In the confusion, many inside the establishment, unaware the incident was unfolding outdoors, ducked and took cover. Some even feared an active shooter was present inside. A TikTok video captured by Benny Huerta and circulating online showed security sprinting towards the chaos and bowlers on the ground. As relayed to NBC4, one witness described the ordeal, noting the rapid succession of shots that sounded, at first, like a mere fall. Witnesses reported to NBC4 seeing a group of people outside the alley, engaged in a dice game before the gunfire broke out.
While no arrests have yet been made, and no suspect descriptions provided, the investigation is still active. Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward and contact the Torrance Police Department or the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline. The shooting has not resulted in additional reported injuries besides the one person shot.
The following day, patrons who fled in the panic returned to Bowlero to reclaim belongings left in a hurry. One of the witnesses expressed their relief to NBC4, saying, "I'm just glad, praise God, we were able to get out of there." Bowlero has offered vouchers for a free round of bowling to customers who were forced to evacuate the premises amid the scare, hoping to bowl over the unsettling memory of the incident.
