Woman fires at co-workers in O.C., then dies in police shooting in L.A.
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A woman who opened fire outside an Orange County closet manufacturer on Monday was an employee of the store, according to police. After wounding one colleague from the store, authorities said, she fled in her vehicle, leading to a traffic stop in L.A. County in which she was fatally shot.
Lucero San Pedro-Castro, 29, of Baldwin Park was identified as the shooter in the incident around 7:15 a.m. Monday at California Closets in Huntington Beach. She shot at two store employees, missing one and striking the other, according to Huntington Beach police.
Pedro-Castro fled the scene in a 2022 Toyota Corolla. Two hours later, she had a deadly confrontation with South Gate police.
Officers spotted the vehicle around 9:30 a.m. and attempted to conduct a traffic stop in the 8600 block of San Carlos Avenue near Firestone Boulevard, authorities said.
During the stop, the vehicle turned into a driveway. Pedro-Castro pointed a gun at an officer approaching the vehicle, and the officer shot the suspect, according to a release issued Tuesday by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff’s homicide investigators are assisting in the investigation of the police shooting, while Huntington Beach police are investigating the shooting at California Closets.
Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics arrived and attempted to provide treatment, transporting Pedro-Castro to a nearby hospital, where she died shortly before 10 a.m., Huntington Beach police spokesman Corbin Carson confirmed Tuesday.
No other injuries were sustained during the incident.
The relationships between Pedro-Castro and the individuals she shot at, including the man she struck, are still unknown. The victim, who was conscious and able to communicate as he was being hospitalized on Monday, is expected to recover from his injuries, police said.
Information or inquiries about the Huntington Beach shooting may be directed to Det. Sgt. Anthony Pham at (714) 357-1183.
Those with information about the police shooting in South Gate are encouraged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
Anonymous tips can be reported to the Crime Stoppers website or by calling (800) 222-8477.
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