Polling Places In L.A. County Locked Down After Fatal Assault Rifle Shooting
AZUSA (CBS SF/AP) -- Multiple polling places in Los Angeles County were placed on lockdown after an officer-involved shooting that killed one and injured at least two others on Tuesday afternoon.
"We believe that the suspect was armed with an assault rifle with a rapid fire capability,"Azusa police Chief Steve Hunt said.
Hunt said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon that it was too early to tell whether the shooting had any connection to the polling place, but said the shooting appears to have been concentrated closer to the residential area than the area near the polling place.
He said the motive remains under investigation.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is investigating the incident and said via Twitter that the shooting doesn't appear to have any direct connection to the election/polling places.
Chief Hunt said a suspect went inside a nearby residence following the shooting and has not yet been arrested. Tactical teams have established a perimeter and are working to detain the suspect.
Authorities first received a report of a shooting at 2:02 p.m. near the intersection of West Fourth Street and North Orange Avenue in Azusa.
Azusa police Officer Jerry Willison said responding officers "were met with gunfire at the scene" and found themselves "pinned down" by gunfire.
Authorities worked to extract the pinned-down officers, Willison said.
Multiple ambulances could be seen at the scene and a triage area was set up to treat patients.
The shooting occurred near Slauson Middle School, a polling place that was then placed on lockdown.
Hunt said Mountain View Elementary School was also placed on lockdown.
Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan said shortly after 3:15 p.m. on Twitter that there was an active shooter situation and that two other polling places -- Memorial Park and Dalton Elementary School -- were also impacted by the shooting and that voters should seek out alternative polling places.
Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Gustavo Medina said one person was dead on arrival, two people were airlifted to hospitals with gunshot wounds. Chief Hunt said the shooting victims were two females and a male, but didn't say the gender of the deceased victim.
Chief Hunt said, "We also have someone down at the front door [of a residence]. We do not know their condition." He said it is unknown whether the person on the ground is the suspect or another victim.The condition of the wounded individuals was not immediately known.
Willison said someone fired on officers at the scene, but none of the officers were hurt. He says the officers had to seek cover.
He said no arrests have been made.
Chief Hunt said at least five Azusa police officers and one Irwindale police officer were involved in the exchange of gunfire with the suspect or suspects.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and its homicide unit have been called in to investigate, Chief Hunt said.
