by One person was killed and three others seriously injured Saturday in a drug-related shooting outside a Trader Joe’s grocery store in Los Angeles, police said.
The shooting was reported at 3:45 p.m. in the San Fernando Valley community of West Hills, Los Angeles Police Officer J. Chavez said.
A 45-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said.
A 35-year-old woman was hospitalized in critical condition, and a 35-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man were in serious to critical condition at a hospital, authorities said.
Police believe at least two people opened fire during the drug-related dispute in the parking lot.
“The dispute centered on a narcotics transaction in the area,” LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said during a news conference Saturday night. “During that pursuit, several suspects drew firearms and shot at each other.”
Two firearms related to the case have been recovered, he said.
Three suspects were in custody, police said, and some of those people at the hospital will be interviewed to determine if they may also be suspects, Hamilton said.
One of the detainees was a man who fled in a vehicle with windows that had been shot out, the deputy chief said.
After a hit-and-run, he said, the suspect somehow switched to another vehicle driven by a female, but ultimately surrendered to the pursuing officers.
The woman was one of three arrested, Hamilton said.
None of those hospitalized, including a hit-and-run victim, had life-threatening injuries, he said.
