Security guard kills man at Samoan festival in Carson after gang fight

A security guard shot and killed a fleeing gunman after a gunfight between rival Pacific Islander gangs at a Samoan Flag Day festival in Carson that left two youths and a woman hospitalized today with gunshot wounds, authorities said this morning.

Rival gang members at the annual celebration at Victoria County Park began fighting about 10:10 p.m. Wednesday at the crowded, family-oriented festival, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Lt. Gil Carrillo said. At least two people then began shooting. .

Two boys, 12 and 13, and a 46 year-old woman, all Samoan, were shot. They were taken to a local hospital, Carrillo said, with non life-threatening injuries and are expected to make a full recovery. Carrillo said all three were bystanders who had no involvement in the fight.

Witnesses told investigators that one of the shooters fired into the crowd as he ran toward the park gate, Carrillo said. At some point, the man apparently spotted a uniformed security guard.

“He was looking back over his shoulder shooting and noticed the armed security,” Carrillo said. At that point, the man allegedly began firing at the security guard, he said.

The guard returned fire, striking the man, who then collapsed just outside the park gate, Carrillo said. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.

The man’s name had not been released this morning, and Carrillo would not say how many times he had been shot.

Coroner’s officials said the dead man was in his 20s and was identified by investigators as Samoan.

The security guard, who was legally authorized to carry a weapon, was not injured, Carrillo said.

Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said the guard worked for a private security company and was not a sworn law enforcement officer.

Sheriff’s detectives are investigating the death as a homicide. Carrillo, however, said witnesses saw the man shoot at the guard and a handgun recovered at the scene is believed to have been used by the assailant and showed evidence of having been fired.

Shortly after the fatal shooting, someone fired a gun into the crowd from a car heading west on 192nd Street, which borders the park. Carrillo said no one was injured and they did not have a suspect or vehicle description to release.

Deputies interviewed witnesses and locked down the park just north of the 405 Freeway in the shadow of Goodyear blimp’s landing zone. No arrests had been made this morning.

Carrillo declined to specify the gangs involved in the dispute.

The park remained closed today as detectives continued their investigation, a sheriff’s spokesman said. As people showed up this morning to work at the festival, which began Saturday and was scheduled to close this Saturday, they were turned away by deputies. A deputy at the scene said he did not know when or if the park would be reopened to festival-goers.

One worker who declined to give his name said he knew nothing about the shooting until he came to the park this morning. He said he was upset to be turned away and was going home to sleep.

Wednesday night’s deadly shooting was not the first during the festival. Four years ago, another gang-related shooting at the annual celebration left a man dead, Carrillo said.

Times staff writer Megan Garvey contributed to this report.

molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com