Investigators Thursday were trying to piece together what led up to a man apparently firing shots at random on the Redondo Beach Pier Wednesday night resulting in two people hurt.
Ted Chen spoke with the sheriff’s department this afternoon. Lt. Brandon Dean said the adult victim in the shooting has already been treated and released, while the juvenile victim is still in the hospital in good condition.
The identity of the gunman is still not revealed.
“I heard a lot of shots,” witness Nanette Turner said.
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Visitors and diners at the Redondo Beach Pier Wednesday night, scrambling for cover and dropping to the ground in fear.
“All of a sudden, I heard this table scream,” Elizabeth Espinoza said.
A gunman had opened fire, for no apparent reason, according to the sheriff’s department.
He was walking on the pier and shooting and hitting two people, an adult male and a teenager.
“It appears the suspect happened to be walking by, and then he retrieved a semi-automatic handgun and began shooting people indiscriminately on the pier,” Lt. Dean said.
Investigators say the gunman walked away and began firing toward the pier but didn’t hit anyone else, but according to one potential victim, came very close.
“It was so close I could hear the gun go off in my ear,” another witness said.
Redondo Beach police officers arrived and confronted him at a walkway near the rocks. That's when investigators say police shot and killed him.
“At one point he had a semi-automatic handgun as well as a large knife, which prompted an officer-involved shooting,” Lt. Dean added.
Investigators say a large knife and semi-automatic handgun were recovered at the scene. What led up to the shooting, is still unclear.
Investigators also say they have a good idea of whom the gunman was, but are waiting for the coroner to confirm. They say at this point it does not appear he has ties to Redondo Beach.
