Five Shot Dead In L.A. Homeless Camp

After Anonymous Tip, Bodies Of Two Women, Three Men Found In Hidden Freeway Encampment

(AP)  Five people were found shot to death Sunday in a homeless encampment obscured by heavy brush in the shadow of a Long Beach freeway, police said.

Officers received an anonymous call Sunday morning and went to an area between several commercial buildings and freeway ramps off Interstate 405. They found two women and three men, all gunshot victims, Long Beach Deputy Police Chief Robert Luna said.

Detectives have not determined a motive or identified a suspect. Coroner's investigators were sent to the scene to identify the victims and determine how long they had been dead, Luna said.

Some of the victims had been shot more than once, said Ed Winter, assistant chief in the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Dozens of detectives combed the area for evidence.

"Because of the rains last night and the heavy foliage in the area where the crime occurred, the investigative process will be slow and methodical," Luna said.

Police initially described the victims as homeless but now say they haven't confirmed that. Officials also were also trying to track down the person who tipped police.

"That's a piece of the puzzle that we're trying to figure out," Luna said. "We're hoping that person comes forward and tells us, 'This is what I saw or heard."'

"The way they were situated, it was perfect in that no one can find the crime scene or see it," he added.

Professor209, you are right. Violence does begat violence and I fell into that trap for a short time. I always seem to be taking up for the undergod (so to speak) and it sickens me to read garbage like that. Do I hel the homeless? As much as I can, because a lot of us are sometimes just a paycheck away from being homeless. I should do more, I guess.

[caldwellptr]

Pugs are cute!

Repugs?

gop_will_win, I would like to meet you face to face and hear you make that same comment. Because I would slap you across the face so hard your ancestors will want to do the same. Shame on you, but I doubt your pathetic parents ever taught you that. As a matter of fact, I think your parents ought to be slapped for not letting you waste away in a condom.

[gop_will_win]

Good. Five wastes of carbon gone.

[Violetw]

Very sad to learn that five people were murdered, whether or not they were homeless.
Thinking it is weird that ppl r arguing over election stuff in this story.

But here''s my catchphrase: Obama gets elected. Two months later a white guy is president, as usual.

[n8yvn29]

These republican swine always kill the weakest and least able to defend themselves, they NEVER take on someone who can fight back. Kind of like the bully Junior Bush is - he never would have attacked a country that could fight back.

[lilsarg01]

Prayers for those who were murdered and their families.

And prayers for those who think the deaths were a "good thing". Your souls are truly dark and bruised. Remember, most of us are only a few paychecks away from being homeless ourselves.

[piercetheval]

..."they''re"...[excuse me]

[piercetheval]

...YEP, first they''ll foreclose on you, then they''ll evict you. then....

"....the way things are going, their gonna shoot me on the street."...[with apologies to John Lennon]

[idnnsg]

"Remember he had a Democratic house and congress to deal with." -insite4u

Let me give YOU a little insight, "insite4u": The way Bush dealt with the "Democratic house" was simple. Bush demanded whatever he wanted and vetoed everything he didn''t want. Repugs put whatever Bush wanted into every bill congress considered. Bush''s repugs threatened to filibuster any bill that lacked the things Bush wanted. The democrats'' only choices were: 1) do nothing at all, shutting down government, or 2) give Bush whatever he wants. That is NOT the "democratic control" you idiot repugs seem to believe we had! As long as the repugs remain mindless followers of Bush, Bush holds all the strings! (And when he couldn''t get away with what I just described, Bush used "executive orders" to just declare whatever he wanted, as if he were a king, not a president. And when he couldn''t get away with that, he used secret executive orders so no one would find out what he was doing. And when he couldn''t get away with that, he just IGNORED the actual laws and did whatever he wanted anyway!!!)

This country can''t afford 4 more years of republican rule! We can''t afford a Grumpy Old Cancer Man and His Mindless Bimbo, following in Bush''s footsteps! Vote for a change. Vote democratic. Vote for Obama/Biden.

[CMancos]

So, some of you hate homeless people do you? Better watch because you dont seem to understand just how very close you are to being like them. The rug could be ripped out from under you so very easily...then what...oh, I see, then it would be a lot different then because it is you, wonderful, perfect, you. A lot of homeless people are mentally ill people that the hospitals kick to the curb. Think anyone will take care of you if you lost your marbles? I think you need some therapy right now to get over your hatred of those less fortunate then your perfect self. You must be a total narcissist.

[pirmin3]

Probably done by some bible thumping, GOP wingnuts just our for target practice.

[brianbwb-2009]

"Sorry, I but I HATE homeless people. I''''ve always supported putting them on buses to Death Valley myself." Posted by michaelt302

Illiterate troll alert.

You apparently didn''t understand the words,

"Police initially described the victims as homeless but now say they haven''t confirmed that."

Maybe you need to be on that bus. I hate illiterate trolls.

[ccroyle7]

i hope the awful people who did this get caught and charged. this is so awful, and i could never imagine having this happen to a family member.

[phoenix357-2009]

This is very sad that these five human beings, down on their luck, were shot to death by a serial killer. Evidently this person has a ''God'' complex and it is God or Kharma which will seal their fate, for all eternity....in eternal confinement. To accuse these people of being dope smokers, as one a-- put it, is very judgemental and will also be dealt with, with fate. Be careful what you say about others or do unto others....the true god and Kharma have strange ways of working. May these folks rest in peace.

[barbaram99]

Down town there a lady
Yes She is old
Yes she is homeless
We pass her way
Shs ask you got some change
Onne asked my friend
He gave her his lunch money
it was all the money he had
The lady said Thanks mister
I told my freind that ten
Ye handed her is like a million to her
An old black lady so poor
A person''s kindness met
the world to her

[barbaram99]

I guess ye have never met homeless people. I have. Some put themselves there. Some don''t as povority does. I been there greed . Wr have problem with gangs,hot heads with a gun in hand bent on killing. Where the values yer gram/gramps taught yer parents now yer parents are ye too busy to teach right from wrong..Everyday /night killings go on in this nation. Why..the break down of the family and hate.

[gramto8]

I guess they could not pay for that dope they smoked..

Posted by libluv2spit at 10:42 PM : Nov 02, 2008

You know, you are a real jerk. You seem to think that everyone who is homeless is a dopehead. Well, believe me, that is not the case. A lot of people are now homeless because the economy has tanked, thanks to Bush and his cronies and their robbing of the middle class and those poorer than middle to enrich themselves.

There are whole families that are now living under cardboard boxes, or under overpasses, or in tents if they happen to be lucky enough to be able to afford one.

I wish that you had to go through homelessness for a couple of years. You might change your tune. I really doubt it though. You would probably still think that everyone else was out there because they were trying to rip off they system and only you were being put upon.