The Lancaster community was reeling Thursday from a rash of shootings that left four people dead within 24 hours, prompting the mayor to decry what he called a lack of adequate policing in the community.
The latest shooting occurred around 5:55 p.m. Wednesday in the 800 block of East Avenue J-12, where two men were found with gunshot wounds. Both were taken to a hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
A short time later, investigators learned that additional gunshot victims began showing up at an area emergency room, likely from the same shooting. As of mid-morning, the sheriff’s department had identified an additional five victims who were shot, but all were alive and considered “stable,” according to the department.
“All the victims were at the same location when the shooting first occurred,” according to the agency.
“Homicide detectives have learned this shooting is gang-related and are currently gathering more information on any suspects and continuing to work the scene,” sheriff’s officials said in a statement.
The shooting was at least the fourth to occur in Lancaster within 24 hours, leaving four people dead. The rash of violence began around 7:20 p.m. Tuesday, when a man was wounded in a shooting at Avenue J-8 and 30th Street West. At 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, a man was fatally shot in the 45600 block of Sierra Highway. At 9:20 p.m. Tuesday, a man was fatally shot in the 400 block of Avenue L.
It was unclear if there was any link between the shootings.
Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris said he was outraged over the rash of violence, and demanded an increase in sheriff’s department presence in the community.
“We’re running at 50% of the number of deputies that we need,” Parris told ABC7. “They knew this was going to happen. They knew it was building. For whatever reason the county will not give us enough officers to protect this community, even though we pay for it.”
Parris said county officials need to do more to combat crime in the city, even if it meant bringing in the National Guard.