Several Vehicles Struck By Gunfire, 1900 block MLK; No Persons Hit

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(Feb. 23, 2020, 1:55 p.m.) -- Several vehicles were struck by gunfire on at early evening Saturday (Feb. 22) in the 1900 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. (Central LB/6th Council district.) LBPD police officer/Public Information Officer Ben Hearst tells LBREPORT.com officers responded at about 7:45 p.m. and found casings and several vehicles hit but no persons hit. PIO Hearst says LBPD believes the shooting was gang related.

About four and half hours earlier, a person(s) fired shots into the area a few blocks north in the 2300 block of MLK Ave. No persons were hit; officers found firearms in the area believed discharged by the suspect(s) (who fled from officers on foot. PIO Hearst says LBPD doesn't believe the two Feb, 22 incidents were related.

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As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, on Feb. 19 a man was struck by wounded by gunfire (motive unknown) in WLB near Anaheim St. west of the 710 freeway (blood splatter found in the 1500 block of W. 15th St, 1st district.) Later the same day (Feb 19) in the Wrigley district, a shooter(s) opened fire in the 4 p.m. hour in the 100 block of E. 28th St. in or near Veterans Park (6th Council district) with no persons hit.

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The maps below show cumulated fatal, non-fatal and no-person hit shootings cumulated from Jan. 1, 2018 to date.

Jan 1, 2018 to date: Red Xs=homicides; Blue Xs= shootings, person wounded; Brown Xs=shots fired at victim(s), not hit; Purple Xs=shots at occupied residence/vehicle; Green Xs= shots at unoccupied vehicle/residence; Grey Xs=shots fired (no hit, no target identified); Orange X's=non-fatal stabbings; Blue * asterisk=victim hit, police unable to locate crime scene. Map is unofficial.

For context, the second map shows shootings cumulated from Jan. 1, 2014 through Dec. 31, 2017.

For details on how Long Beach lost its former LBPD field anti-gang unit (20 officers + 2 sergeants) -- not restored despite 2016 voter approval of Measure A -- click here.

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At a 6th district Council candidates forum on Feb. 3, Vice Mayor Dee Andrews and challengers Suely Saro, Josephine Villasenor, Sharifah Hardie and Craig Ursuy (Ana Arcedidn't participate) were asked if they'd commit to support allocating 10% of Measure A's annual revenue ($6 million out of roughly $60+ million) to restore 30 police officers. To hear an audio clip of their responses (in the order they were asked:-- Craig Ursuy, Dee Andrews, Josephine Villasenor, Sharifah Hardie and Suely Saro -- click here.

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