[Update from LBPD release: One victim was 29 years old, his identity withheld pending notification of next of kin. The seocnd victim has not yet been identified. [end Update]

The motive for the shootings isn't immediately known. Homicide detectives canvassed the area for witnesses and videos.

The double homicide comes two days after what organizers called a "National Night Out" against crime (mainly block parties and meet/greets with officers that didn't address LB's lack of roughly 230 officers that the City previously provided but no longer does.)

On July 19, 2021, the City Council -- which sets LB police levels by its budget actions -- voted (8-0, Austin absent) to approve a Mayor/Management labeled "Safety Recovery Plan" tied in part to a Mayor/management proposed FY22 budget. The plan, sought by the Council following multiple shootings, doesn't restore any of the roughly 230 erased officers, leaving Long Beach without its former LBPD field anti-gang unit and with a thinner per capita officer level than Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Signal Hill. (Chart shows LB police level before Sept. 2020 defunding of 48 additional officers.)

CD 1 Councilwoman Mary Zendejas constituents have experienced the highest level of shootings of any LB Council district but hasn't advocated restoring any of the erased officers including LBPD's former field anti-gang unit. Zendejas recently filed paperwork seeking re-election in 2022 after gaining Council office in a Nov. 2019 special election aided by three $10,000 contributions from Mayor Garcia, immediate past CD 1 Councilwoman (now state Senator) Lena Gonzalez and the LB police officers union. The contributions exceeded LB's voter enacted contribution limits to candidate-run campaign committees by funneling the $30,000 to an "independent" (non candidate controlled) committee run by the LB firefighters union..