Two people—including a 59-year-old woman who was hit unintentionally—were killed in separate shootings last night in Long Beach, police said.
Police said the woman was in her home on 10th Street near Alamitos Avenue when stray bullets hit her around 10:55 p.m. Saturday.
The gunfire apparently came from outside. Officers found evidence that indicated someone was shooting a gun in the street nearby when “more than one of the shots fired entered the home and struck the victim,” police said.
Detectives aren’t sure what sparked the shooting, but they don’t believe the woman was the intended target, LBPD spokeswoman Jennifer De Prez said.
“This was a reckless display of criminal behavior,” LBPD Chief Robert Luna said. “We want to assure the victim’s family and our entire Long Beach community that our department is actively working to further this investigation and will utilize all necessary resources to bring those responsible to justice.”
Medics took the woman to the hospital where she died. “No other victims have come forward,” De Prez said.
Police identified the woman as Genoveva Rivera Robles. Distraught family members were still at the home with investigators Sunday morning. They declined to talk to a reporter.
A neighbor said Robles was relatively new to the neighborhood.
About three hours after the first shooting and just over a mile away, a man was shot to death, according to police.
He was on Molino Avenue near Anaheim Street when he was wounded in the upper body around 2 a.m., according to De Prez.
Officers found him in the street, she said. He died at the hospital.
Police said there was some kind of argument before the shooting, but it’s not yet clear about what.
“The motive for the shooting is currently unknown, however detectives believe it to be gang-related,” the LBPD said in a news release. “Detectives are actively working to gather additional information through the ongoing investigation.”
Police said the shooter fled on foot, before officers arrived. Investigators didn’t have a detailed description of him or Robles’ killer available.
Mayor Robert Garcia announced in a tweet mid-morning that police patrols have increased in light of the fatal shootings.
This story has been updated with more information from police.
I just got briefed by our @lbpd Chief of Police on two shooting incidents from last night. The department will be releasing more information throughout the day but please note that patrols have increased and our police team is fully engaged on bringing those involved to justice.
— Office of Mayor Rex Richardson (@LongBeachMayor) July 21, 2019