Suspect dead, 2 injured after shooting at Southern Calif. beach pier

August 27, 2021 carleyshaffer1 US 0

FILE - In this April 8, 2013, file photo, waves hit the Redondo Beach Pier in Redondo Beach, Calif. A gunman opened fire at a popular Southern California pier complex and wounded two people, prompting a stampede of people fleeing the scene before police killed him, authorities said. The shooting Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, at the Redondo Beach Pier sent people running to get away, and police tweeted for people inside businesses on and near the pier to stay inside. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

Waves hit the Redondo Beach Pier in Redondo Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 1:33 PM PT – Friday, August 27, 2021

A gunman has been shot and killed by police after he opened fire at a California beach pier. Lt. Brandon Dean of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, said they were alerted to an active shooter threat late on Wednesday at the Redondo Beach Pier, just southwest of Downtown Los Angeles.

Reports said the suspect is described as a male in his mid-30s who happened to be walking by when he began firing at people on the pier, hitting a teenager and an adult. The suspect then fled and was found by police nearby with a handgun and a knife.

He was killed while being taken into custody. “At one point he had a semi-automatic handgun, as well as a large knife, which prompted an officer involved shooting,” said Lt. Dean.

Redondo Beach PD on scene with a shooting incident on the Redondo Beach Pier. Please avoid the area. If you are at a restaurant or business on the pier – or know someone who is on the pier, please stay inside until further notice. There is a helicopter https://t.co/9LPaPRYmA0

— RedondoBeachPD (@RedondoBeachPD) August 26, 2021

A witness at the pier during the shooting described the chaotic ordeal. “When we realized someone was like, and there was actually an active shooter on the pier, we started just leaving the pier immediately. And then as we started leaving, literally a few seconds later we see everybody running after us, and we just started running ourselves,” said Patrick Shafik.

A local resident said it’s unfortunate that something like this occurred in an area that is usually peaceful. “Normally it’s such a good place to live. I’ve lived here for years, and I just hate anything like this happening. The state of the world seems to be going downhill,” said Redondo Beach local, Greg Costigan.

Meanwhile, police say the teen and the adult, who are related, are in stable condition. No officers or additional people were injured.