Woman dies after being shot on 710 Freeway, crashing in Long Beach

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- A woman died after she was shot while driving on the 710 Freeway and then crashed along an off-ramp in Long Beach, authorities confirmed Tuesday.

The shooting and crash happened around 2:30 a.m., according to the Long Beach Police Department.

The shooting victim, 37-year-old Mercedes Marie Mingo, was found inside a crashed BMW on the southbound 710 Freeway at the Anaheim Street off-ramp.

California Highway Patrol officers are not sure if the shooting occurred on the freeway or somewhere else.

It's not clear if the woman died from a gunshot wound or from the crash.

An investigation into the incident is underway.

"There are what appear to be bullet holes on the left side of that vehicle," CHP Capt. Joe Zizi said. "Upon arrival by CHP officers, we did find one occupant in the vehicle. It was a Black female adult who was deceased when fire department arrived. It is an active crime scene right now. There are about 10 detectives combing the area and they have since reached out looking for additional leads, sources, witnesses."

Around 7:30 a.m., all lanes of the southbound 710 were closed for about an hour as investigators gathered evidence. It was shut down again for a few minutes around 9 a.m. for the same reason.

Meanwhile, family and friends of Mercedes Marie Mingo started to gather.

Hakim Jren is her ex-husband and the father of their 19-year-old daughter.

"My daughter called me to come down and support her," Jren said. "I'm just stunned right now."

The CHP is asking for the public's help in their investigation.

They're hoping someone who was driving on either the south or northbound 710 early Tuesday morning saw something.

"We'd like the public to know that if they see anything, if they are a witness to anything or at any point feel unsafe, to dial 911 to give us a call," CHP Officer Angelia Gonzales said.