One woman was fatally shot and several other people were wounded when at least one gunman opened fire at a house party being held in an upscale Beverly Crest neighborhood early Tuesday morning.
Police responded to a shooting in progress call about 1:15 a.m. in the 13000 block of Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles Police Department Lt. Chris Ramirez said.
Three victims, described as two females and one male, were found down in the driveway of the home and transported to a nearby hospital, Ramirez said.
One of the females, a Black woman about 35 years old, was pronounced dead at the hospital, Ramirez said. The other two victims were listed in stable condition.
An additional female who self-transported to a local hospital is also in stable condition, Ramirez said.
A fifth injury associated with the incident involved another male who was transported from the surrounding area, but he has already checked out of the hospital, Ramirez said.
None of the victims have been identified.
Investigators believe the shooting may be gang-related but no information about the gunman or gunmen has been released.
A man filming the party on his cellphone captured video as gunfire rang out multiple times and screams could be heard throughout the mansion.
“Everything was good up until a certain point, then it got crazy. People started shooting. I figured maybe people lost a lot of money in gambling and whatever else, and it got a little serious,” Gabriel Cervantes, who attended the party, said.
He said the gunfire broke out as the party was winding down and most people were outside leaving, and a gunman started shooting at random.
Cervantes said the event was a birthday party for an athlete.
Police had responded to the same residence about 6:30 p.m. Monday after receiving multiple disturbance calls.
Aerial video from Sky5 showed the home was packed with partygoers.
Officers noticed several vehicles blocking the roadway and met with someone at the location to help move them.
Some of the vehicles were cited and impounded, but everyone was compliant and the music was not that loud, so officers did not attempt to stop the party, Ramirez said.
Gatherings of any size are currently prohibited in Los Angeles County amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. However, officers did not go inside the Beverly Crest home because the event was taking place on private property, Ramirez said.
“It’s like us going into your home and telling you what to do,” Ramirez said.
Investigators have determined the home was being rented at the time of the party.
