Long Beach faced a turbulent night of violence, which saw no-hit and hit shootings, followed by a traffic fatality that claimed two lives. The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) has been actively investigating these incidents and has provided some details about the tumultuous events.
According to the LBPD Blotter, on the evening of May 6th, officers rushed to the scene at 61st Street and DeForest Avenue around 5:47 p.m. following reports of gunfire. Upon their arrival, they discovered that an unidentified male suspect had fired at a group, which led to an exchange of gunfire. Despite evidence of the shooting, all individuals involved had fled before police arrived. The motive remains unknown, and mercifully, there were no injuries to report. Suspect information is still forthcoming.
Later that night, another shooting incident occurred. At about 8:33 p.m., officers responded to a shots call near 7th Street and Cherry Avenue. A teen male managed to reach a local hospital on his own after sustaining a gunshot wound to his lower body, a wound deemed non-life-threatening. The LBPD's preliminary findings suggest the shooting arose from a physical altercation between the victim and several suspects. "The suspects fled the scene prior to officers’ arrival," as per the LBPD's official summary of the incident. Investigation continues as authorities piece together suspect profiles and potential motives behind the attack.
The following morning, Long Beach saw a tragic conclusion to these violent occurrences. At approximately 6:20 a.m. on May 7th, a devastating collision took two lives on the corner of 7th Street and Terraine Avenue. First responders found two adult males deceased at the scene; one of whom had been driving on the wrong side of the road, causing a head-on collision with the other vehicle. LBPD has announced that a full news release regarding this accident will be issued later in the day.
