Two people were in custody on Tuesday, Feb. 13, in connection with a string of four fatal Southland shootings that occurred within hours and a few miles of one other, sheriff’s officials said.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, investigators believe a third suspect may have been involved.
The shootings occurred late Sunday and early Monday in Bell, Florence-Firestone, Cudahy and Huntington Park.
The first shooting occurred around 11:30 p.m. Sunday in the 6000 block of Bear Avenue in Bell, killing 24-year-old Kevin Parada.
Shortly after midnight Monday morning, another fatal shooting occurred in the 1500 block of East Florence Avenue in the nearby Florence-Firestone. That victim, described only as a man, was not immediately identified.
A short time later, two boys were shot in the 5000 block of Live Oak Street near Ellen Ochoa Learning Center. One of them — 14-year-old Javier Pedraza Jr. of Cudahy — was pronounced dead at the scene. The second boy was taken to a hospital in what was described as stable condition.
The fourth shooting occurred about 2:40 a.m. in the 6300 block of Santa Fe Avenue in Huntington Park, officials said. That man was also not immediately identified.
The timing and proximity of the shootings prompted law enforcement to investigate if the shootings were related, and sheriff’s officials confirmed Tuesday morning that the arrests had been made.
As the investigations were continuing on Monday, county Supervisor Janice Hahn took to social media, saying, “These recent shootings are very troubling to me and the residents of these cities. I have been in contact with the cities of Bell, Cudahy and Huntington Park and offered any assistance we can provide.”
Hahn also noted the proximity of two of the shootings to schools. The first shooting in Bell occurred in the vicinity of Martha Escutia Primary Center, an elementary school.
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho wrote: “Overnight…
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