One person was killed and three others seriously injured in a drug-related shootout outside a Trader Joe’s grocery store in Los Angeles on Saturday, 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 was pronounced dead at the scene, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman 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 a serious to critical condition at a hospital, officials said.
Police believe at least two people opened fire during the drug-related dispute in the parking lot.
“The dispute centered around a drug transaction in the area,” LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said at a news conference Saturday night. “During that pursuit, several suspects pulled out 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 could also be suspects, Hamilton said.
One of those arrested was a man who fled in a vehicle with its windows blown out, the deputy chief said.
After a hit-and-run, he said, the suspect somehow switched to another vehicle driven by a woman, but eventually surrendered to pursuing officers.
The woman was one of three captives, Hamilton said.
None of those hospitalized, including one hit-and-run victim, had life-threatening injuries, he said.
