A quiet Thursday evening in Tustin turned into a homicide investigation after a 42-year-old woman was shot and killed near 17th Street and Yorba Street, and the gunman slipped away before officers arrived.
Responding to reports of gunfire, officers found the woman unresponsive behind a small white SUV. Medical personnel pronounced her dead at the scene, according to a Tustin Police Department news release reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Police say the calls about shots fired came in just after 6 p.m. Thursday, and detectives have since opened a homicide investigation, the Los Angeles Times reports. The victim’s name has not been released as investigators notify the family and sort through early leads.
Witnesses told officers they saw a man dressed in all black run from the scene, then drive off in a dark-colored older-model sedan, according to ABC7. Detectives are now knocking on doors and checking nearby businesses for surveillance video that might have caught the suspect or the vehicle on camera.
Police Seek Surveillance And Tips
The Tustin Police Department is asking neighbors and business owners to hang on to any doorbell or security-camera footage from around 6 p.m. Thursday that might show the street, sidewalks, or passing cars, the Los Angeles Times reports. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Chelsea Harris at (714) 426-2427.
Investigation Underway
Investigators said they believe this was an isolated incident and that there is no ongoing threat to the wider public, according to ABC7. No arrests have been announced, and detectives say they are tracking down tips and reviewing surveillance footage as they try to pinpoint a suspect.
How To Help
Police are urging anyone who saw a person dressed in dark clothing or a dark older sedan near 17th Street and Yorba Street around 6 p.m. Thursday to contact investigators and save any video that might be relevant. They are also reminding the public not to confront any possible suspect, but instead to call the tip line or use local anonymous tip services so detectives can take it from there.
