Three Children Wounded in South L.A. Drive-by Shooting


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Three children were wounded when they were caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting while eating at a South Los Angeles taco stand.

The children were standing at the corner of 94th and Figueroa streets in South Los Angeles  when the shooting occurred about 8:40 pm on Wednesday, Los Angeles police Lt. John Jenal said.

Two vehicles -- a dark-colored sedan and an SUV -- passed by and at least one gunman opened fire, Jenal said, the Los Angeles Times reported.

A boy and a girl, both 13 years old, were hit by gunshots and taken to a hospital, Jenal said. Both were stable, he said.

The shooting was probably related to gang activity in the neighborhood, police said. A man was seen running from the shooting scene, and police believe he was the intended target.

Officers are canvassing the neighborhood and reaching out to community members to gain more information about the shooting.

"This is an example of how unintended targets are getting struck by gunfire, and we're especially saddened when we have to deal with that," Jenal said.

Gun violence in the United States results in thousands of deaths and thousands more injuries annually with intervention programs having proved ineffective in reducing the rate of firearm-related homicides in the country.