Person of interest in San Fernando Valley shootings in custody

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- Less than 24 hours after a trio of deadly shootings in the San Fernando Valley, the LAPD said a person of interest was taken into custody Sunday night.

Police were involved in an hour-long standoff at a home in Sylmar before taking a man into custody. The man was earlier reported as a suspect, but Los Angeles police clarified he was a person of interest. Authorities were first called to the home early Sunday morning for a report of animal cruelty. Evidence from the shootings lead them back to the house, and the person of interest.

Earlier Sunday, three people were shot to death and two others were injured in three separate attacks that happened within the span of an hour. The suspect or suspects fled all three scenes.

The first shooting took place on Celis Street near Workman Street in San Fernando just before 6 a.m. as a family of five was headed to church.

Investigators said the family pulled over because the vehicle behind them was driving erratically. The SUV then pulled up, and a gunman opened fire.

A woman in her 20s was shot and killed. Authorities said her father, mother and two teenage siblings were also shot. One of them is in grave condition.

"They saw the car behind them and it looked to them that the car was weaving. They thought possibly he was drunk, so the driver of their car pulled over to the side of the road to let the car by," said Lt. John Corina. "The suspect car pulled up alongside them and shot into their car."

About 45 minutes and two miles away in the 13000 block of Borden Avenue in Sylmar, police responded to a call of shots fired. They found a man in his mid-20s to mid-30s dead at the scene.

Fifteen minutes later and about 5 miles away, 59-year-old Gloria Tovar was shot and killed as she sat in her car at the intersection of Filmore Street and Magee Avenue in Pacoima.

Neighbors said the woman was picking up a friend to take her to church. The friend found her shot.

Authorities were asking for the public's help in finding a tan or light-colored SUV with tinted windows. The vehicle was spotted leaving at least one of the three crime scenes.

Detectives said at this point they don't know if there was another suspect involved. Detectives said evidence found at the Sylmar home where the person of interest was taken into custody should provide clues.

Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to call (877) LAPD-24-7.