A gunman on a motorcycle shot and injured three men as they left The Echo nightclub in loud volley of gunfire that was heard across Echo Park early this morning. Witnesses said the gunman – who wore a black helmet, clothing and boots – was sitting on a black Harley Davidson motorcycle when he started firing a semi-automatic pistol into the crowd leaving the Sunset Boulevard nightclub at about 2:10 AM, said Wes Buhrmester with the LAPD Rampart Division. “The suspect fired 8-10 rounds from a handgun at the group, and rode away,” Buhrmester said in an email. “Witnesses advised no dispute or fight occurred inside the location prior to the incident, and we are investigating to find a link at this time between the victims and the suspect. It is also not known if the victims were targeted, or if someone else was and these three were hit unintentionally. It does not appear gang-related.”
Two of three victims – who came from different part of the city – were treated and released from hospitals. A third man with a gunshot wound in the torso remains hospitalized, Buhrmester said.
* Update: The suspect is described as a stocky White or Latino male standing 5′-8″ to 5′-11″ tall and weighing between 200 to 230 pounds, according to preliminary reports. Rampart Division detective Rick Ramos provided a few more details about the case late this afternoon.
Related post:
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Woh, crazy.
We were dancing and having a good time there last night, and happened to drive off moments before this sheeit went down.
Totally mind boggling.
Ya, there was a big crowd out front…but the usual…I’m still tipsy and not ready to go home yet….
Ya, I did notice the general attire was unusually all black…hehe
Well, as other native angelinos understand, it’s L.A. Ya Dig.
It was a great night up until then. There are a lot of really great people who go to that club, it makes me sick to think that they got shot at – and that I was almost one of them. I was walking back to my car south on lemoine, and the guy drove past me heading east on park blvd. Big bike, tall handlebars, red gas tank, helmet, googles, thick goatee, no visible logos that I could see. I know it was him because I heard the gunfire, then him starting the engine and driving around the block. I think he was headed to the 101 west. At this point, we don’t know the motive – the possibilities are endless. All we know is that it really, really sucks that this happened .
The victim who was shot in the torso is still hospitalized in serious condition, but will survive his wound. The other two victims were treated and released.
Wasn’t there another motorcycle gang shooting nearby just a few months bacK? Think I read about it in some online police blotter though I remember it being the Sidewinders or the Mongols and maybe being on one of the freeways.
Great new gangs causing havoc in the area. Now motorcycle gangs. EP is surely evolving in strange ways. I’ve heard and seen it all living in this area but this is unprecedented. Just hope these guys keep their trouble out of the area because the EP gangsters will go to war with anyone on their turf who dares call themselves a gang. Last thing we need is chaos to break out and hipsters, bikers, eses, hippies, and everyone killing each other in ep just for fucks sake. @Senescent that actually made for some good articulation. LOL. You are quite the writer props on your blog entry.
DMAX – If you are sure you saw a red gas tank you might want to call the police because all the reports are saying the bike was black. Could be really helpful to the investigation…
yeah, i left them a couple of messages
Boy and I thought I had a lot of free time on my hands. Hey maybe it was the Rolling Stones that hired the Hell’s Angels to clean up this god forsaken Ghetto. Hipsters as you call yourselves, really, get out!
Dmax!
You’re a phenominal photog.
:-)
Anonymous- You really shouldn’t comment if you don’t know what you’re talking about, which in this case, you clearly don’t. Do a little reading/research about motorcycle gangs in the area, then come back and join the discussion.
thanks, I am not going to let this incident keep me from echo park. I am a long time Los Angeles resident and things have really improved, especially in ep. If you want to know what it was like in 92 I’ll tell you all about it – if you have the stomach. Most of the people I see at the echo and ptp are not drunken slobs, otherwise I would not attend. But it only takes a few bad apples to make a stink and that is always what is most noticeable. It is irrelevant whether this guy is gang affiliated or not. The truth is this is a very unfortunate occurrence and it sucks.
@ dino are you serious or are you just that retarted and new in the area? Hells angels have never been seen frequenting this area. Keyword “frequenting” hope you can understand that. I think its you that needs to do your homework. The only native gangs to this area are hispanic oh yeah and one chinese that I can think of. biker gangs have never been big in this area till the yuppies (most likely you) prolly brought their own drug dealers along with them. LOL. Like I said it is unheard of anybody doing a motorcycle drive-by in this area period!!! Biker gangs have no turf in the echo park area so you do your homework. Whether it be a clown who’s doing it, you, a biker thug or whatever. Judging from the comments of those who were there and what they said the hells angel guy left a lil prior to the gun shots. It is a possibility that maybe he came back and for whatever reason he lit the place up like a x-mas tree??? A fact no, a possibility yes! Now I wonder if it was personal and direct towards those 3 people, which is most likely the case being that they don’t want to divulge any information. Or was it just some crazy biker guy that just snapped and shot the place up.
The 3 people shot have nothing to do with each other or the suspect. I was in the crowd, the shooting was random and they just happened to get hit. He unloaded the gun in a haphazard way, with many of the shots hitting the wall to the right of the door and above the door.
The description of the red motorcycle tank and the white rider was not the gunman I witnessed shooting. Other people took off right after the gunman did so perhaps it was another motorcyclist that left the club or was driving past. The Hells Angel in attendance was a different size, shape and color than the gunman. The Hells Angel was with other plain clothes friends, both male and female. All of which seemed to had left the club prior to 2am.
According to Police there are several biker gangs in Southern California and Echo Park is not immune to their violence. Some work with street gangs to establish territory. This is one scenario. Yet, Police do not think this was gang related as of yet.
Both bands The Meek and The Warlocks were at the club at the time of shooting. I believe that the members of The Warlocks were still inside the venue and The Meek were out front during the shooting. None of the bands were hurt nor any employees of The Echo. There is no reason to believe it had to do with the music that evening or the Part Time Punks event.
It was not a Hell’s Angel who fired on the crowd. One of the shooting victims describes the attack here:http://legmanla.com/
IamJacksLiver- I didn’t say “Hells Angels,” I said “motorcycle gangs.” Maybe you’re not familiar with the other gangs of the US based here in the LA area and the fact one in particular has/had a club house in an adjoining neighborhood, and frequents bars in Echo Park, Lincoln Heights, Cypress Park, Highland Park, etc. Yes, “frequent” meaning ALL THE TIME. They’ve been entrenched in this area since their beginnings, and, with a little research, you’ll find out about their involvement in the east side/East LA and adjoining areas and their history with the gangs of the area and other criminal organizations. Part of the reason why you don’t see Hells Angels very often in this part of town, as opposed to other parts of LA IS because of this other organization who are a FIXTURE of the east side.
I’m just guessing here, but, seems like you probably think all biker gangs are older pot bellied white dudes with long hair and big beards, dressed like they just left a tractor pull.
Also, just for shits and giggles, what yuppies buy drugs from guys in biker gangs?? Does that make sense to you? I mean, it may since you use “LOL” when you write.
So I extend to you the same message; unless you know what you’re talking about, stay out of the conversation.
IamJackSilver- didn’t even notice the poster after you had written this: “According to Police there are several biker gangs in Southern California and Echo Park is not immune to their violence. Some work with street gangs to establish territory. ”
Class dismissed.
I’ll say it again there are no motorcyle gangs in the echo park area with turf. If a few old mostly old hispanic bikers happen to live in the area is a different story. For those few that do they tend to have family in the area. None of the local gangs share turf with any so called biker gangs. Not with the mongols not the angels or anyone else. For your information The Mongols have the green light from any southside hood to be shot down on site. There’s a lil trivia for you about gangs. So you can try and change it to east la or whatever but I specifically said “Echo Park Area” ;) thank you very much. As a 26 year resident I know what I’m talking about. So you can do all the phony research you like! That there are people with motorcycles of course they’re everywhere, duh that is a given. LOL. The fact of the matter is there is a lot of people who talk just to lend their opinion and don’t know what the hell they’re talking about. They’re mostly just going off of speculation and speaking out their ass like a poster ^ there. As for the event that took place, I wasn’t there so I wouldn’t know but anytime something is in a public forum of sorts its open up for discussion.
I think it is smart to believe the Rampart Police Dept. and the Detectives on this case over anyone else, if they say there are biker gangs that work with street gangs in the Echo Park area, I think they know what they are talking about. And, regardless if it is their “turf” or not, they will enter the area without their “colors” on and carry out violence.
ANYTHING is possible. It is up to the cops now. There were around 30 people out there, there are 30 different perspectives, 30 recollections told through a haze of fight or flight, and burnt up adrenaline. The truth remains to be seen. We should be open to all possibilities
http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/local/3-wounded-drive-by-at-nightclub-20100621 according to this he was a Hell’s Angels member??? So who is really telling the truth who knows? Maybe somebodys trying to cover up for the guy? Oh and about police knowing better that is not always the case. As they tend to assume or go from word of mouth of other people. They just gather whatever information they can and spit out an interview to the media. Its in their interest to make everything look all nice and safe but then that is their job I guess.
Could someone please explain to me what a hipster is? Does this term have any meaning anymore?
IamJackSilver- You really don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t care how long you’ve lived in the area. I know for a fact that members of a certain “gang” frequent bars in Echo Park, Cypress Park, Highland Park, Lincoln Heights, etc. I have met, spoken extensively with, in some cases, some of them. It’s known to employees of those bars. This isn’t speculation or “second-hand stories.” And I’m not talking about “old Hispanic men who own motorcycles.” So while there may not be a “chapter” or a “clubhouse” IN Echo Park, they are certainly a presence. Also, you may not be aware that “they” don’t wear their colors anymore.
Also, as for your comments about the cops not necessarily knowing, etc; while in some cases, you are absolutely correct, I’d venture a guess they probably have a pretty good idea in this case since, the Feds (ATF) have infiltrated this particular group twice in the past 12 years.
No you simply misunderstood me dino that is all. I meant and am correct to say that any of those visitors in small numbers (biker gangs) have no local gang territory. When a gang goes and visits an area doesn’t make it their territory.
About the fbi, atf, ice, etc yada yada you are correct. I remember when they shot down the president of hells angels not too long ago and the mongols were at war with them. The feds and local police have been working together a lot since about the time bush was in office. You can’t even lay a fart now adays without the fbi knowing. ha ha. So kids if you’re gonna do crime do it big but what for if the feds are on everything now. Its better just to find yourself a legal way to make money.
There’s no misunderstanding here. What I’ve said since the very beginning is simple; they have, and always have had a strong presence in EP and the surrounding areas and that them being around is nothing new. And they’ve co-existed (willingly and unwillingly) with the other street gangs.
Just for the record, I’ve been a native in EP for decades, and bikers were never an obvious foe in the hood. EXP were too busy having shoot outs with other CHOLO gangs like Frog Town and 18st.
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