Hours after she sought restraining order, Bellflower woman killed by ex-boyfriend, officials say

BELLFLOWER, Calif. (KABC) -- A man with a history of domestic violence shot and killed his ex-girlfriend at her Bellflower home, wounded her adult son and then fatally shot himself in the head, officials say.

The victim had filed for a restraining order against her ex just earlier that day at the Whittier courthouse. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says deputies had been called to the home for domestic violence incidents 16 times since 2021 - in all cases involving the suspect, woman and her adult son. Seven of those were just since June of this year.

Tuesday, deputies were called to the home in the 8500 block of Artesia Boulevard around 11:30 p.m. on a report of a gunshot victim. They found a 26-year-old-man - the son of the victim - suffering from a gunshot wound to the hip.

He told deputies he was in his room when the suspect forced his way into the apartment, entered his room and shot him. The gunman then turned to his ex-girlfriend's room.

As the injured son exited the apartment, "he heard his mother scream and a second gunshot," the sheriff's statement said.

Deputies were speaking with the 26-year-old outside the apartment when they suddenly heard a single gunshot fired inside the residence, authorities said.

"The deputies made a tactical entry into the apartment and found a 54-year-old female suffering from a gunshot wound to the head and a 59-year-old male suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head," according to the Sheriff's Department.

The woman and the suspect were pronounced dead at the scene. The wounded son was transported to a hospital in stable condition.

The female victim and the gunman had a prior dating relationship, investigators said.

Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact the sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Tipsters who prefer to provide information anonymously may call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).