Suspects identified in fatal West Hills parking lot shooting
LOS ANGELES - One person was killed and three others injured in a shooting at a parking lot in the West Hills area of Los Angeles Saturday afternoon, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department, and the suspected shooter is in custody.
Reports of the shooting came in around 3:45 p.m. at the Fallbrook Shopping Center located in the 22800 block of Vanowen Street in West Hills.
According to police, the suspect - identified as 34-year-old Mark Connole of Woodland Hills - met with the victims for unknown reasons. There was an argument between them, and that's when the suspect fired shots at the victims, the LAPD said. One person - a 45-year-old man - died at the scene, and three others - reportedly two women and a man - sustained non-life threatening injuries and were taken to local hospitals for treatment, officials said.
Images from SkyFOX over the scene showed multiple LAFD ambulances treating people in a parking lot across several locations.
At a press conference Saturday evening, the L AP said its initial investigation led officers to believe the shooting was the result of a drug deal in the parking lot, and that multiple people in the parking lot took out guns and started firing. Some involved in the shooting may also be gang affiliated, according to Alan Hamilton with the LAPD.
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Shortly after the scene at the parking lot, an LAPD helicopter witnessed one of the suspects fleeing the area in a car with a window that had been shot out, according to Hamilton. The helicopter followed the suspect, who was then involved in a hit-and-run crash, injuring one other person. The suspect then switched cars, when ground units caught up with the car.
After a short pursuit, the car pulled over near the intersection of Canoga Avenue and Saticoy Street. Two people — the driver, identified as Amy Waters, 33, of Simi Valley, and Connole — both got out of the car and surrendered to police. Hamilton identified the man who got out of the car as the suspect the LAPD helicopter leave the shooting scene. He did not say whether the driver of the car was also at the parking lot scene, but did say that she was involved and in custody.
Hamilton also indicated that at least one person who was taken to the hospital may have been involved in the shooting, and said there may be other arrests, but that there was no longer any threat in the area.
Connole was booked on suspicion of murder and was being held on $2 million bail.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the LAPD Valley Bureau Homicide detectives at 818-374-9550.