A North Long Beach block turned into an active crime scene Thursday afternoon after a man was shot and left lying in the street, neighbors and police said.
Neighbor Derick Ayash said he heard a single gunshot around 12:35 p.m. on Plymouth Street near Cedar Avenue. When he stepped outside, he found a wounded man in the roadway in front of a home. Paramedics arrived and rushed the victim to a nearby hospital, where he later died, according to the Long Beach Post.
Officers quickly taped off several blocks in the neighborhood and began a sweeping search of homes and alleyways, at times using a drone as they looked for the gunman. The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was taken to a local hospital and later pronounced dead, the Long Beach Post reported.
"I heard a single gunshot," Ayash told the Long Beach Post, adding that he found the man lying in the street. Another neighbor, who asked not to be identified, told the outlet she did not hear any shouting or confrontation before the gunfire.
Residents Question Citywide Safety
The deadly shooting lands on top of a string of recent violent incidents that locals say has eroded their sense of security in parts of the city. Stabbings and other shootings have been reported across Long Beach this month, and some neighbors say it feels like the hits keep coming.
Long Beach Local News documented multiple reports of gunfire and stabbings since Mother's Day and noted that residents are calling for a stronger, more visible public safety response.
How to Help the Investigation
Detectives are still working to determine a motive in Thursday's killing and have not released any suspect description. The search in the neighborhood continued as investigators canvassed for surveillance footage and witnesses.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Long Beach Police Department Homicide Unit at (562) 570-7244, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
