LANCASTER – The sheriff’s department Thursday released chilling video while announcing the arrests of two suspects in a gang-related shooting that seriously wounded two teenagers in Lancaster on June 18.
“It shocks the conscience, but sadly, it’s become just another one of many incidents that are happening with far too great frequency throughout Los Angeles County, which is crimes involving guns,” Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at a press conference Thursday afternoon (view the full video below). “This impacted two of our own kids up in the north Los Angeles County area… thankfully, they both survived and they’re recovering… they have a long road to recovery.”
Around 9:50 p.m. on June 18, two 18-year-old victims were walking southbound on Raven Lane, approaching Avenue J-4, when two assailants rode by — one on a bicycle and the other on a skateboard — stopped and started shooting at the victims, according to Captain Robert Jones, Unit Commander for the sheriff’s department’s Operation Safe Streets Bureau (OSS).
Jones said both victims suffered multiple gunshot wounds to their upper and lower bodies.
“Approximately 30 expended shell casings were found at the scene. Both victims were transported to a local hospital, where one victim remains in serious condition… the other has been released to recover at home,” Jones said.
The shooting was captured on a neighbor’s surveillance camera, and sheriff’s officials played the video at Thursday’s press conference.
“Through innovative investigative techniques, the assistance of community members, and Lancaster Station patrol, investigators were able to identify one male black adult suspect and one male black juvenile subject in his teens, believed to be involved in the shooting,” Jones said, adding that both suspects were arrested June 29 on suspicion of attempted murder.
The adult suspect, a self-proclaimed gang member, admitted to his involvement in the shooting, but “based on current laws, the juvenile was unable to be interviewed by investigators,” Jones said.
OSS investigators also served search warrants at two locations, which yielded an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle and two automatic handguns that Jones described as “ghost guns” — unregistered weapons made from kits available on the Internet. In addition to the two suspects connected to the shooting, three other individuals were arrested throughout the investigation, according to Jones.
The suspects, whose names were not immediately released, had ties to a Los Angeles street gang, detectives said.
The 18-year-old victims had no gang ties or criminal histories and had graduated from high school just two weeks before the shooting, Detective Jonathan Livingston said at the press conference.
Previous related story: Shooting in Lancaster wounds two
FatWhiteBob says
This is more proof we need to Cancel the Contract and remove deputies from high school campus.
smh
Concerned African American says
All of you on here are so racist and half of you are on county assistance you guys should be ashamed. Of yourselves and I grew up in Compton and Compton is a way better city than this one is the homeless white people and y’all brothers and uncles and dads out here rapimg and kidnapping our girls tho but it’s the black ppl doin wrong ? Y’all all deserve yall asses whooped if you ask me because I bet none of y’all would say it to no black persons face
Bytch_please! says
Shut the f*** up, bytch!
Sophia says
I agree! And I’m like the Voice of Reason in all my comments. You are spot on!
Dee says
Adult and juvi will get probation. Thanks George
Concerned Resident says
Hey everyone come on now stop it! nobody died. the suspects are just youngsters and given the circumstances of poverty and no good jobs these youngsters have no choice other then to join a gang. Its not really their fault that they shot at other youngsters. Blame Society that did this to them by not giving them opportunities that well off kids get.
Av resident says
Bullsh1t! There are plenty of good jobs, you just need to stop being lazy and look for them. They won’t come if you don’t look. Being in a gang is a choice!
Tim Scott says
Even after all these years I am amazed when an AVer is so dense they miss obvious irony.
Not ur amigo says
Thrash breeds trash. Go back to dirty Compton
A concerned African American says
[removed] shut up like in all honesty the other two boys weren’t even gang members neither were the ones that shot at em y’all be the ones out here making it hard for blacks sayin [removed] like that
Av resident says
All these crimes are only committed by the same usual suspects, these idiots are messing up the neighborhoods, good hard working people are moving out because neighbors like me are tired of seeing them everywhere. They are infesting this valley, GO BACK TO COMPTON, NO ONE WNATS YOU HERE!!!
Lisa says
Yes well said take them all back to Compton no one wants those loosers here they are infesting our city
Matt says
Parris did.
Terry Irons says
We have no representation on our local government board and it shows, Lancaster is out of touch outside the Westside and of course the precious Blvd.
Knowitall says
Imagine that! Another shooting involving the usual.
Innovative Investigative Techniques says
“The suspects … had ties to a Los Angeles street gang, detectives said.”
One of LA’s largest exports…
Roberto says
“The suspects … had ties to a Los Angeles street gang, detectives said.”
Someone should tell this to Waunette Cullors Cancel the contract activist who who wants LASD deputies out of Antelope Valley high schools
FatWhiteBob says
The Antelope Valley is a cesspool.
It will never recover.
Buddy Miles says
Lancaster is a cesspool and has almost twice the crime rate of Palmdale and LA County AV. Citizens should step up and take back their city.
FatWhiteBob says
The Cancel the Contract crowd that wants cops off high school campuses say there are no gangs
Stop and Frisk says
Usual Woke Suspects
Unless you start stomping on dicks nothing is going to change but only get worse!
Tim Scott says
Great…whip it out and I will cheerfully stomp it.
Couldn’t happen to a better candidate.
Dinker dude says
You seem like someone who would enjoy jumping on a pecker
Tim Scott says
As I said, whip it out, I’ll get my cleats. Anybody that thinks “dickstomping” is a way to improve society deserves what they get.
Beecee says
So you’ll trade in the heels for cleats on this one?
Your amigo says
I agree. Some dicks need to be stomped on