LONG BEACH – A suspect in a shooting spree and a carjacking and kidnapping in Long Beach fatally shot himself in a church in Carson during a standoff with a police SWAT team, authorities said Friday.
Authorities withheld the name of the 29-year-old Long Beach man, who died at a hospital, pending notification of his relatives.
The series of events began about 7:15 p.m. Thursday, when officers went to the 200 block of East 57th Street in Long Beach on a report of a shooting, the Long Beach Police Department reported.
According to police, investigators believe the suspect committed the following crimes, which occurred within a 15-minute period:
— A shooting in the 200 block of East 57th Street, where the suspect shot a man, who was hospitalized in stable condition.
— A shooting and carjacking in the 200 block of East 57th Street, where the suspect shot at a woman, who was not struck by gunfire. The suspect carjacked her vehicle and attempted to flee the area in it, but “the vehicle shut off and the suspect was unable to use the vehicle.”
— A shooting in the 80 block of East 55th Street, where the suspect shot a man, who was hospitalized in stable condition.
— And a carjacking and shooting in the 100 block of East 55th Street, where the suspect pointed a firearm at a woman and got in her vehicle while she was still inside. During the carjacking, the suspect shot a man who was a bystander, and he was treated at a hospital for a graze wound.
“The suspect then kidnapped the female adult carjacking victim, forcing her to drive her car with him as passenger away from the area,” police said in a statement.
“Officers and detectives quickly responded to each incident and began investigating. Through their investigation, detectives were able to identify the location of the suspect at a church in the 21600 block of Alameda Street in the city of Carson,” police said.
About 8:30 p.m., officers and detectives went to the Carson location “and determined the suspect was inside the church with the carjacking victim and several additional adults, who each had a relationship with the suspect,” police said.
Police established a perimeter, and a SWAT team was sent to the scene.
“While SWAT was on scene, the female carjacking victim was able to leave the building, physically unharmed,” police said.
“A hostage negotiator attempted to make telephonic contact with the suspect and negotiate his peaceful surrender. While attempting to de-escalate the situation, SWAT personnel heard gunshots,” police said.
“SWAT entered the building and located the suspect with self- inflicted gunshot wounds to the upper and lower body, and SWAT paramedics immediately began to render aid,” police said.
Paramedics took the mortally wounded man to a hospital, where he died.
“The additional adults were located by SWAT inside the church, unharmed,” police said. “The motive for all incidents remains under investigation. No officers fired shots.”
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office was notified, police said.
Anyone with information on the case was urged to call LBPD homicide Detectives Donald Collier or Leticia Gamboa at 562-570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
