Argument at Apartment Ends in Fatal Shooting : Ventura: Police take four people into custody for questioning in connection with downtown slaying.

Ventura police were questioning four people Monday evening in connection with the fatal shooting of a man at a downtown apartment house, authorities said.

The victim, who police did not identify, apparently was killed by a gunshot wound to the chest about 7 p.m. after what neighbors described as an argument with residents of the well-kept Victorian house, which has been converted into a four-apartment complex.

No one has been charged in connection with the shooting, and names of those being questioned have not been released, police said.

One officer at the scene said the shooting may have been in self-defense and that residents had volunteered to accompany detectives for questioning, although neighbors said they saw two women and two men being taken away in handcuffs.

Police would not say if those being questioned were suspects in the slaying.

Neighbors said three young women moved into the ground-floor apartment at 670 E. Thompson Blvd. about a month ago.

John Mirk, who lives in the apartment directly above the unit where the shooting took place, said he heard a “a lot of crashing around” in the apartment but did not hear gunshots.

“I heard them yelling and throwing things against the wall and the next thing I knew the police were here,” Mirk said.

Ken Neary, who lives next door to the complex, said he saw one of the women apparently arguing with two men near the back of the apartment about 10 minutes before the shooting occurred.

“I saw two guys with shaved heads in an old Ford and they were yelling at one of the gals,” Neary said. “I went for a bike ride and came back and the cops were all here.”