Witnesses said after the shooting the victim was crawling on his stomach in the parking lot of the shopping center and leaving a trail of blood. But police described his injuries as not life-threatening.
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The shooting happened around 7:45 p.m. in front of the store on Oxnard Street near Laurel Canyon Boulevard.
Witnesses say two men were arguing on the street in front of the store and appeared at one point to be flashing gang signs at each other. A third man came up and also got involved in the argument.
One witness told Eyewitness News he heard what sounded like six gunshots. He saw the victim crawling on the ground to a nearby business, a recovery center for substance abuse. He left a trail of blood through the parking lot of the business, the witness said.
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The suspects fled the scene.
Police and paramedics arrived and the victim was taken away in an ambulance.
Police later said the victim had been shot in the leg and was expected to recover after surgery. Police say he may be a mentally ill transient.
Police say last Monday another transient was fatally stabbed in the same location.
Oxnard Street remained closed for about a block and the 7-Eleven was taped off as police investigated the incident.