Parolee arrested in fatal shooting at Torrance bowling alley
Witnesses describe the scene of a shooting at Gable House Bowl in Torrance late Friday.
Torrance police arrested a 47-year-old parolee Monday in connection with a shooting at a bowling alley that left three people dead and four others injured.
Reginald Wallace of Los Angeles, on parole for assault with a deadly weapon with a firearm, is in custody, Torrance Police Chief Eve Irvine announced at a news conference Monday afternoon. He is being held at Los Angeles County jail without bail.
Police arrested Wallace on Sunday at 4th Street and Western Avenue in Los Angeles. He previously served 17 years in prison and was released in 2017.
Friday’s fatal confrontation at the Gable House Bowl began with a fight between customers, officials said. Shouts erupted near the entrance, prompting patrons to flee to the back of the building shortly before midnight.
The confrontation escalated to involve as many as 15 people, Irvine said. During the argument, Wallace pulled a gun from his pocket and began firing into the crowd, Irvine said.
It appears that he was the only shooter inside the building, she added, describing the weapon as a handgun but declining to specify its caliber. There was no reloading of the gun, Irvine said.
Officials are unclear whether Wallace knew any of the victims or anyone else in the crowd.
Irvine called the shooting “a tragedy,” adding: “We’ve never had an incident like this in Torrance.”
Police said three men died at the scene. Authorities later identified them as Los Angeles residents Michael Di’Shawn Radford, 20; Astin Kyle Edwards, 28; and Robert Earl Meekins Jr., 28.
Two injured men were taken to a hospital, and two others opted to seek medical attention on their own.
In the hours following the shooting, mourners flocked to the Gable House, part of the Torrance community for more than 50 years, leaving it decked with dozens of balloons and candles.
The business reopened Sunday, drawing a steady stream of regulars and supporters who hugged and comforted one another.
Twitter: @newsterrier
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