(Sept. 16, 2003, updated 5:20 p.m. from initial post 4:05 p.m.) -- A shooting in broad daylight in the 6400 block of busy Atlantic Ave. -- across from Jordan High but according to initial reports not involving Jordan students -- wounded a 19-year old and triggered an LBPD response in which LBPD's high-tech helicopter found two juvenile suspects who'd fled up the L.A. river channel to Alondra Blvd. (Compton) where they were arrested.

LBPD Public Information Office Nancy Pratt and an LBPD release advise LBReport.com that two groups of individuals were standing at opposite sides of a mobile home park entrance in the 6400 block of Atlantic Ave.: a group of two male Hispanics on one side of the entrance, and a group of four male African-Americans on the other side of the entrance.

Police believe an African-American approached the group of Hispanics and challenged them to fight. One Hispanic allegedly produced hand gun, fired numerous rounds into the group of African-Americans, striking one once in the upper torso.

The two Hispanics fled into mobile home park area. The three remaining African-Americans took their wounded friend, put him in a car and took off, apparently dropping him off at a residence in the 100 block of East 55th St.

The two male Hispanics fled into the L.A. river flood control channel...and LBPD began a thorough search included LBPD's high-tech helicopter unit (in policespeak called "Fox"). Fox's crew spotted the suspects who had managed to flee up the channel all the way to Alondra Blvd. Fox directed ground units to the location...where they were arrested.

"If it weren't for our ability to respond to the call as quickly as we did -- and from the air -- we might not have been able to get the suspects in custody because they'd already travelled a considerable distance," PIO Pratt noted.

PIO Pratt says the two apprehended suspects are both juveniles, a 17-year old from Paramount and a 16-year old from Compton. Both were booked for assault with a deadly weapon and will be transported to Juvenile Hall without bail.

The victim was reported 19 years old, no city residence released as we post.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Juvenile Investigators Detective Fermin Gonzalez at (562) 570-1448.