Violence after Mexico’s defeat
A gathering of Mexico supporters in East Los Angeles turned violent on Sunday night after the national team was knocked out of the World Cup by England.
The shooting happened after Mexico’s 3-2 defeat in the round of 16, a result that ended the co-hosts’ tournament at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
According to KTLA via Yahoo News, authorities confirmed that four people were shot in East Los Angeles following the match.
The incident unfolded in an area where fans had gathered near Whittier Boulevard, a familiar meeting point for Mexico supporters in Southern California.
Read also: Folarin Balogun addresses red card controversy after US World Cup exit
Argument ends in gunfire
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the shooting was reported at around 9:35 p.m. local time in the 5900 block of Whittier Boulevard at Leonard Avenue.
According to MyNewsLA, two men were shot after a suspect pulled out a handgun during an argument and opened fire.
An uninvolved woman and a boy were also struck by bullets. Both left the immediate scene and went to nearby locations to seek help.
All four victims were taken to hospital by ambulance. Their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
One shooting, not several
Early reports suggested that the victims had been shot in several separate incidents across East Los Angeles.
Authorities later clarified that the four victims were wounded in the same shooting at Whittier Boulevard and Leonard Avenue.
The confusion arose because two of the victims left the original scene and went to Amelia Avenue and Sixth Street, and Amelia Avenue and Whittier Boulevard, before reporting that they had been shot.
No suspect information had been released by authorities, and no arrest had been announced.
Read also: FIFA defends referee Raphael Claus after Donald Trump's "very suspect" claims
World Cup weekend marked by gun violence
The shooting came during a weekend already marked by several outbreaks of gun violence across the United States.
According to The Guardian, at least 43 people were killed in shootings across the country during the Fourth of July weekend, with the East Los Angeles incident among the cases highlighted.
The report also noted that the four victims in East Los Angeles included a woman and a child who were caught up in the shooting after Mexico’s elimination.
Police ask witnesses to come forward
Investigators are still trying to establish exactly what led to the argument and the shooting.
Read also: FIFA doesn't support Trump’s attack: "He is an experienced and highly respected referee"
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has asked anyone with information to contact authorities. Tips can be given to the department at 323-264-4151, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
For Mexico fans, the night had already carried the disappointment of a painful World Cup exit.
It ended with a far more serious scene on Whittier Boulevard, where a football gathering was overtaken by gunfire and four people were left recovering in hospital.
Read also: Jurgen Klopp condemns Trump and Infantino over Balogun red card reversal
