By Emilie St. John
Contributing Writer
INGLEWOOD — Five people were shot — two fatally — in a mass shooting Oct. 7.
Inglewood police officers and paramedics with the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the 3300 block of Manchester Boulevard around 4:39 p.m. to a reported mass shooting in a city-owned public parking lot.
Five people were transported to local hospitals where two were pronounced dead from their injuries.
According to Mayor James Butts, the victims are all in their 50s and were “sitting in a city-owned public parking lot when another vehicle containing the shooters opened fire.”
Police Department insiders said the weapon used was an AR-15 and that the shooting was being investigated as gang-related. They spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to speak to the media on the department’s behalf.
Butts described the shooting as a “targeted” attack.
One of the victims remains in critical condition and the other two have non-life threatening wounds.
A news videographer at the scene said the shooting occurred at a hall rented for an event, however, the police activity was across the street.
The hall has been identified as the Lavender Blue restaurant which regularly hosts events.
Guests typically park across the street in the public parking lot where the shooting occurred. The lot is also used by people attending events at the Kia Forum and SoFi Stadium.
Aerial photos showed multiple cars riddled with bullets and broken glass indicating the windows were up when the shooting occurred.
The vehicles were backed into parking stalls which are obscured from the street due to the overgrown shrubbery and trees along the perimeter of the lot.
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to call Inglewood police. Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 800- 222-8477, or tips can be sent to www.lacrimestoppers.org.
Emilie St. John is a freelance journalist covering the areas of Carson, Compton, Inglewood and Willowbrook. Send tips to her at emiliesaintjohn@gmail.com.
