Six Dead as Gun Battles Rage Over Thanksgiving Weekend

The Thanksgiving holiday weekend brought no respite in the ritual of weekend violence in Los Angeles, as at least six people died and several more were injured in a string of unrelated shootings Friday and Saturday.

Police responding to a gang-related gun battle in Inglewood Friday night fatally shot a Montebello man, and a shoot-out Friday in a Glendale tavern left two men dead.

Inglewood police said Michael Washington, 21, was shot twice after he raised a revolver at an officer who was attempting to detain him. He died early Saturday at Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center.

Police said the shooting occurred after officers responded to reports of “gang members fighting with guns in the street” on West 85th Street. Washington, police said, was one of several men attempting to flee when officers arrived. He stopped after being ordered to do so, but then raised a long-barreled revolver, police said in a prepared statement.

“Both officers fired once at Washington, striking him with both bullets in the upper torso,” the statement said. Sgt. Bill Snyder on Saturday declined to release the names of the officers involved and said he did not know whether the pair were in uniform.

In Glendale, police arrested five suspects early Saturday in connection with the shoot-out at a tavern in the city’s industrial area the night before. Two men were killed in the gunfire and a third left in critical condition.

The motive behind the shooting at The Rustic Inn--a pool hall and bar at the corner of San Fernando Road and Chevy Chase Drive--is still being investigated, said Sgt. Karl Ward, a Glendale police spokesman.

Police officials did not release the names of the suspects. The identities of the victims also were withheld pending notification of relatives.

One victim was taken to Glendale Memorial Hospital, where he died late Friday night, Ward said. The second victim was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center and died Saturday morning. The third victim remains in serious condition at Glendale Memorial Hospital after undergoing surgery, Ward said.

Ricardo Rivas, 34, who rents an apartment above the bar, said brawls are frequent at the tavern. “The police come over three or four times a week here,” he said in Spanish.

Several gangs are known to be active in the area, but Ward said he didn’t believe the incident was gang-related.

In other incidents, a 42-year-old South Los Angeles man, whose name was withheld, died early Saturday after several shots were fired through the front door of his home in the 1600 block of West Vernon Avenue. Los Angeles police said they did not know the motive for the attack.

Also on Saturday, police were seeking two gunmen who killed a businessman during an apparent robbery attempt. Frank Wade, 40, was shot Friday night as he was leaving his business in the 3000 block of South Western Avenue. He died later at Brotman Medical Center.

Marlon Clay, the 51-year-old owner of a check-cashing business, also was shot to death in a robbery Saturday morning outside his business near Pico Boulevard and Burnside Avenue, police said. Three suspects are being sought.

Meanwhile, Redondo Beach police were investigating the beating of a man found near the city pier early Saturday. The man, who was reported in critical condition at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, was found in the 300 block of South Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach police said Saturday. His name was not known.