Sketches of suspects above.
5:00pm | The Long Beach Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspects responsible for the triple victim shooting that resulted in the death of a male adult that occurred in the 200 block of West 20th Street on September 14, 2009.
The preliminary investigation revealed that three male subjects were sitting on the stairs of an apartment complex when they were confronted by at least two male Hispanic suspects. A verbal exchange took place before the suspects fired numerous shots at the three male victims. Several witnesses observed two suspects running westbound on 20th Street towards a possible get-away vehicle. Detectives acquired newly discovered surveillance video depicting the two suspects running away from the scene, which is in the process of being reviewed and enhanced.
The three victims were transported to a local hospital with gunshot wounds to the upper torso. One victim was identified as 20-year-old Robert Tripple of Long Beach, who was pronounced deceased at the hospital as a result of injuries sustained in the shooting. The two additional victims, who were 19 and 20-year-old Long Beach residents, sustained non-life threatening injuries.
Detectives believe that this incident may be gang related and ballistic evidence recovered from the crime scene was examined and determined to be connected to another shooting that occurred in August of 2009.
On August 21, 2009, the victim, identified as a 29 year-old Long Beach resident, was with a group of male subjects in the 1500 block of West 20th Street when a male Hispanic suspect approached and pointed a gun at the group. A verbal exchange took place between the suspect and the victim and the suspect then fired at the victim. The victim was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries, and the others were uninjured.
The suspect(s) in both shootings were described as male Hispanic(s), 18-22 years-old, 5’6″ to 5”10,” 160-190 lbs, black hair, brown eyes, and possibly gang members. One suspect in the 9/14/09 murder was described as having tattoos on his right arm. A suspect in the 8/21/09 attempted murder case was seen wearing a gray baseball cap, a light gray or blue button down shirt and blue jeans. In addition, detectives were able to generate two computer composite drawings of the suspects in the 9/14/09 murder based on recently obtained witness information.
The Long Beach Police Department is strongly urging anyone who may have information on either of these incidents, or is able to identify the suspects in these composites, to contact Long Beach Police Homicide Detectives Todd Johnson or Malcolm Evans at (562) 570-7244.