Man pleads not guilty to killing of 2 in Long Beach
A Long Beach man pleaded not guilty today to murder charges stemming from a shooting in the summer of 2021 that left two men dead.
A Long Beach man pleaded not guilty today to murder charges stemming from a shooting in the summer of 2021 that left two men dead.
The Long Beach Police Department is investigating three shootings that happened between Sunday night and the early hours of Monday morning, the department said.
Despite the decline, the amount of gun violence in Long Beach remains well above average compared to pre-pandemic data.
“The number of gang shootings has actually gone down,” Police Chief Wally Hebeish said at a recent community meeting. “The problem is the number of hit shootings involving gang members has gone up.”
Law enforcement officials have said there’s an “epidemic” of ghost guns, which can be built from kits purchased online—potentially avoiding background checks.
In one case, a man managed to drive away unharmed as he was being shot at from the sidewalk, police said.
Police said they haven’t arrested the other gunman who allegedly fired back after being targeted.
Neighborhoods in Downtown, Central, West and North Long Beach have borne the brunt of the surge in gun violence, according to data mapped by the Long Beach Post.
An announcement from the Long Beach Police Department said that its homicide detectives have gathered “significant evidence” apparently linking Efren Abril to the Aug. 5 killing of 29-year-old Antonio Parra and 28-year-old Brian Gomez who were found with gunshot wounds in a parking lot near St. Mary’s Medical Center.
Last month, there were 37 shootings, with someone being hit by gunfire in 18 of them.