1 Dead, 7 Hurt in Long Beach Shooting Rampage

Three or possibly four men in a white van went on a drive-by shooting rampage in Long Beach, killing one man and wounding seven others in what police on Monday speculated may be racially motivated gang violence.

Long Beach police have no immediate suspects in what was one of the worst outbreaks of violence in the city’s history.

But some officers suggested that the three separate shootings within a mile of each other in Long Beach may be connected to ethnic gang rivalries.

“It’s pure speculation to say if was a gang retaliation or racially motivated,” said Sgt. Steve Filippini. “But one could surmise that, because all eight victims were Hispanics and the suspects were African American.”

Some of the gunshot victims have gang affiliations, Filippini said. Police found shell casings that indicate an assault-style weapon was used in two of the three shootings.

The rampage began about 11:30 p.m. Sunday when three Latino men were getting out of their car in the alley behind an apartment building on North Chestnut Avenue, south of Pacific Coast Highway.

An older white or gray Toyota van with tinted windows pulled up behind the men’s car and it occupants opened fire. One of the victims died at St. Mary Medical Center as a result of his injuries.

About two hours later on nearby Gaviota Avenue, four men standing in front of a residence were struck by gunfire when the van pulled up to the curb. All four men were listed in stable condition at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

Later, at 2:15 a.m., a man was shot in the head as he sat in a car outside a residence on East 8th Street, about eight blocks from the first shooting.

The victim was taken to Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and was listed in critical condition after undergoing surgery.

Police declined to reveal the names of any victims.

Filippini said it appears that all three incidents are related. Witnesses gave police nearly identical descriptions of the van and the suspects at all three locations.

The series of shootings was the first high-profile gang violence since a Long Beach policeman was shot to death April 29 in an area of the city known for gang activities.

In that earlier incident, police said Officer Daryle Black was killed in a spray of gunfire as he and his partner interrupted a group of heavily armed youths preparing to commit crimes against rival gang members.

Teams of homicide detectives and patrol officers have been working on the latest violent episode. Dets. Steve Smith and Hector Nieves said that anyone with information about the crime or the suspects could call (562) 570-7244.