In a series of incidents that marred an otherwise quiet Long Beach night, the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) reported two shootings and a successful firearm recovery. The first incident, a hit-shooting taking place on the 1200 block of East Anaheim Street, involved a male victim who sustained non-life-threatening injuries after a verbal dispute escalated into gunfire. As per the official LBPD blotter, the confrontation occurred on Dec. 15, at around 9:25 p.m.
Shortly after the initial event, at 10:38 p.m., officers were dispatched to another location, the area near the 710 Freeway and Willow Street, where they encountered a second male victim, also with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds to the lower body. The details surrounding the shootings remain elusive, as the motives and suspect information for both are still under active investigation, and all involved suspects had fled the scene before law enforcement's arrival, as detailed by the LBPD. With victims hospitalized and battles scarred on their bodies, a city finds itself seeking answers in the darkness of violence.
In addition to these violent occurrences, the LBPD applauded their officers for the recovery of a firearm during a routine traffic stop at the intersection of Santa Fe Avenue and Summit Street earlier in the evening. According to the same LBPD release, a suspect, detained at approximately 7:43 p.m., now faces charges tied to the unlawful possession of the weapon.
"Great work officers! Last night, officers safely took a gun off the streets," quoted from the LBPD news release.
