2 Teens, 1 Man Arrested Following LB Mall Shooting That Wounded 3

LONG BEACH, CA — Three people — a 23-year-old man and two teenagers — were arrested in connection with a drive-by shooting at The Pike outlets Long Beach that wounded two adults and a 13-year-old boy wounded, officials said.

The people in question were detained shortly after the incident, which unfolded around 7:30 p.m., when shots fired into the outdoor mall sent panicked shoppers scrambling for cover.

The three victims, two men and a preteen, were standing on a corner near Aquarium Way and Shoreline Drive when they were struck by gunfire, according to the Long Beach Police Department.

Jonathan Rodriguez-Zamora of Wilmington, 23, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, shooting into an inhabited dwelling, carrying a concealed weapon and driver permitting a person to discharge from a vehicle. Rodriguez-Zamora was being held in lieu of $3 million bail.

A 15-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and shooting into an inhabited dwelling. A 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, shooting into an inhabited dwelling, altering a firearm and carrying a loaded firearm on a person or in a vehicle while in a public place.

Whether the shooting was gang-related was "on the table," Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna said.

Officers rendered aid to the three victims Saturday night, who were all hospitalized, Luna said. The teenager and one man were in stable condition, while another man was in critical condition.

"We are praying that he makes it," Luna said.

It wasn't specified how many rounds were fired, but bullets peppered the busy dining and shopping area. One bullet went flying through the door of the Hooters restaurant near the mall, the Long Beach Post reported.

The chaotic incident prompted police to close the bustling shopping center while they investigated. Luna said he was "happy to report" that three "people of interest" were detained.

It was unclear whether the shooting was gang-related, but Luna said it was "definitely on the table," the Long Beach Post reported. The police chief added that violent crime has been surging in Long Beach, especially shootings.

The LBPD has had more officers patrolling the city in recent months to respond to an uptick in gun-related crime.

"It's scary...this is something that you see happening around the country way too much," Luna told reporters on Saturday night. "...It absolutely could have been much worse, we're thankful that it wasn't."

The City News Service contributed to this report.