A person was shot in Huntington Beach Monday morning, resulting in their hospitalization, and the suspected shooter, 29-year-old Lucero San Pedro-Castro of Baldwin Park, was later killed by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies after being found in a vehicle.
Employees at the California Closets location reported hearing multiple gunshots around 7:15 a.m., with some counting as many as six. Workers described running from the business in fear as the shots rang out. “We immediately [left] because we were scared,” one employee said.
Police said a woman in a dark gray sedan allegedly shot a man at the California Closets business before fleeing the scene. The injured man was transported to UCI Medical Center, where he is expected to survive.
Authorities said the attack appears to be isolated and not random, but the investigation is ongoing.
About two hours after the shooting, and roughly 25 miles away, South Gate police located a vehicle matching the description of the suspect’s car. The sedan was tied to a felony warrant from the Huntington Beach Police Department in connection with the attempted murder.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies said San Pedro-Castro exited the vehicle on San Carlos near Firestone and “presented a handgun,” prompting deputies to fire. She was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead.
It remains unclear if she fired at law enforcement.
California Closet Company expressed its sorrow over the incident, saying, “Our hearts are with those injured or otherwise impacted, and we wish them a full recovery and strength for their families and community.” The company added it is “doing everything we can to support [law enforcement] in their investigation” and that its Huntington Beach location will remain closed while the investigation continues and staff recover.
Authorities and California Closets have not released information about how the shooter and the injured man knew each other, or whether they were coworkers.
Alberto Mendez and Mary Beth McDade contributed to this report.
