Early Friday morning in Hawthorne, two individuals became the unfortunate targets of gunfire, resulting in a 16-year-old boy losing his life and a 32-year-old man sustaining injuries. The Hawthorne Police Department, alongside the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, is investigating this incident, which took place on the 4200 block of W. Broadway Street at around 12:27 a.m.
Responding to reports of a shooting, Hawthorne police discovered both victims wounded by gunfire. Despite being rushed to nearby hospitals, the teenage boy succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. The injured man, hit in the lower torso, is currently hospitalized for treatment of his non-life-threatening injuries. As reported by CBS News Los Angeles, preliminary findings suggest the two were walking in an alley when two men approached them, opened fire, and then fled on foot.
Investigators are hard at work piecing together the sequence of events that unfolded leading to the shooting. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirms that the incident may involve gang activity and is working in collaboration with the Hawthorne PD to uncover further details. KTLA shared that detectives have not yet released a suspect description and are calling on the community to provide any information that might assist in the investigation.
Authorities are reaching out to the public for help. Anyone with information that could lead to an unraveling of this heinous act is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau. For those wishing to remain anonymous, tips can be shared through "Crime Stoppers" by dialing their hotline or through their website. This information has been disseminated in an effort to engage community participation, according to the official update from the Sheriff's Information Bureau.
