A shooting in Silver Lake left one man dead Tuesday night and prompted a hours-long shutdown of a stretch of Sunset Boulevard, with two men in custody as detectives work to establish what happened. Police have not said what sparked the gunfire or what led to the arrests, and the investigation remains active.
Police described the incident as a “running gun battle,” according to The Eastsider. The outlet reported that the shooting occurred around 7:45 p.m. Tuesday near Sunset Boulevard and Maltman Avenue.
Officers responded to a report of shots fired and requested an ambulance for a man suffering from a gunshot wound, according to an LAPD spokesperson. Police blocked traffic on Sunset Boulevard while investigating. The department has not released the identities, ages or conditions of those involved, nor has it detailed the weapon used or any charges connected to the two men in custody.
Scene Cleared Before Midnight
Police closed part of Sunset Boulevard after the shooting and did not clear the scene until about 11:06 p.m., The Eastsider reported. The closure kept the Silver Lake corridor disrupted for several hours as investigators worked at the scene.
Earlier violence and the Sunset corridor
The current incident alone does not establish a broader shooting or homicide pattern in Silver Lake. A separate July 2018 incident involved a police chase that ended at a Trader Joe’s, where police gunfire killed store employee Melyda Corado, according to Courthouse News Service. The prolonged closure also affected a corridor that is the subject of proposed transportation and safety changes. KTLA reported that plans call for dedicated bicycle and bus lanes and one vehicle lane in each direction between Silver Lake and downtown. The Eastsider, quoting Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, reported that the project area is part of Los Angeles’ High-Injury Network, which accounts for 6% of city streets and 70% of pedestrian fatalities and severe injuries.
Police are continuing to investigate the shooting, and the case remains open as detectives work to determine what led to the confrontation. No further details on the cause of the gun battle, the weapon involved, or the status of the two men in custody have been made public.
