8 people shot following argument outside house party in Carson; police looking for suspects
CARSON, Calif. (KABC) -- Eight people were shot overnight Friday at a residential pool party in Carson, authorities said. Two of the victims were critically injured.
No one was in custody in connection with the shooting, which occurred around midnight at a home in the 1500 block of East Abila Street, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said. The victims' ages ranged from 16-29.
They were transported to area hospitals, where two of them were listed in critical condition and underwent surgery, authorities said. Details about the conditions of the other six individuals were not immediately available.
A 16-year-old woman who was shot in the arm said a loud fight broke out in the middle of the street outside the party. When she went inside, gunshots were fired and people started to run.
Another gunshot victim tried to drive away from the scene, but crashed into a house around the corner, destroying a brick wall and fence.
"Like 30, 40, gunshots went off, cars went past. A lot of dogs barking, kids screaming, everybody asking for help. It was just a lot, it was tragic. Right when you walked outside it was like a movie," said one witness.
A neighbor, a man who declined to give his name, told ABC7 that he heard a barrage of gunshots and then saw several terrified teenagers running down the street. He estimated that at least 50 people may have attended the party.
The neighbor said he spoke to parents whose panicked children called them to pick them up. The man was told that a male had been asked to leave after arriving at the party uninvited, prompting an argument: "So they said that he left and came back with a gun."
"I knew that it was going to be bad because at least more than 20 shots were fired," he said.
Abila Street was closed at the scene as an investigation continued throughout the day.
"We're going to be working around the clock, doing whatever we can with our sheriffs department to bring the persons responsible for this crime to Justice," said Carson Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes.
Officials could not say if the shooting was gang-related at this time, but it is something they are looking into.
"We don't have any confirmation that this is a gang shooting at this time. We're looking into everything but we don't have that confirmation at this point," Lt. Rick Conti, of the LASD Operation Safe Streets Bureau.
Residents have been left shaken and worried about their safety.
"Kids at that age being able to get a gun, that is the most scary thing because they don't think," he said.
A description of the shooter was not released.
