Two people were in custody on Tuesday, Feb. 13, in connection with a string of four fatal Southland shootings that occurred within hours and a few miles of one other, sheriff’s officials said.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, investigators believe a third suspect may have been involved.
The shootings occurred late Sunday and early Monday in Bell, Florence-Firestone, Cudahy and Huntington Park.
The first shooting occurred around 11:30 p.m. Sunday in the 6000 block of Bear Avenue in Bell, killing 24-year-old Kevin Parada.
Shortly after midnight, another fatal shooting occurred in the 1500 block of East Florence Avenue in Florence-Firestone. That victim, described only as a man, had not been publicly identified.
A short time later, two boys were shot in the 5000 block of Live Oak Street in Cudahy near the Ellen Ochoa Learning Center. One, Javier Pedraza Jr., 14, was pronounced dead at the scene. The second boy was taken to a hospital in stable condition.
The fourth shooting occurred about 2:40 a.m. in the 6300 block of Santa Fe Avenue in Huntington Park, officials said. That man had also not been publicly identified.
In a statement, Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said: “Overnight murderous fun violence victimizes the youth of our community. As we learn more about the shootings that claimed the life of one teenager and injured another, we stand ready to support the impacted school communities.”
There was no immediate word on a possible motive for the shootings.