Valley Gang Shooting Injures Three Innocent Bystanders

"Valley Gang Shooting Injures Three Innocent Bystanders"
 

Los Angeles: On Tuesday, September 9, 2003, at about 2:10 p.m., West Valley Patrol officers received a radio call regarding a shooting that had just occurred at Ventura Boulevard and Winnetka Avenue. The responding officers were met by a large group of juvenile students from nearby Taft High School, who had just got out of school and were waiting for busses. The officers discovered that three juveniles had been shot in an apparent drive-by shooting. Los Angels City Fire Department personnel responded to the location and transported the victim’s to hospitals.
The investigation revealed that a burgundy colored car, containing three male Blacks stopped at the curb on Ventura Boulevard, just east of Winnetka Avenue. One of the occupants in the vehicle exchanged gang slogans with a male Black pedestrian, possibly a student, who was standing on the sidewalk near the vehicle. At that time, several gunshots were fired from a handgun by the vehicle occupants. The vehicle sped off eastbound on Ventura Boulevard. The student who had exchanged gang slogans with the suspects was the intended target of the shooting. However he was not struck by the gunfire and fled the scene. Efforts are on going to identify him at this time. The victims are all students at Taft High School.
A 15 year-old male sustained a gunshot wound to the torso and was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center where he was hospitalized in critical condition.
A 16 year-old male was transported to Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills where he was admitted in serious, but stable condition, with a gunshot wound to the torso.
A 17 year-old female was transported to Northridge Hospital where she was admitted in serious, but stable condition.
All three victims are expected to survive. The shooting is gang related and no suspects have been identified or arrested at this time.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact West Valley Homicide Detectives at 818-342-0449. On weekends and during off-hours, please contact the 24-hour toll free number at the Detective Information Desk at 1-877-LAWFULL, 1-877-529-3855.
This press release was prepared by Public Information Officer Adriana N. Sanchez, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.