Two teens and one woman were injured Monday afternoon following a shooting at a bus stop on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Vermont Avenue in Exposition Park, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
At about 4:08 p.m., officers responded to a call about an assault and deadly weapons just outside of USC’s campus. Two 16-year-old males and a 50-year-old female were shot and injured. None of the victims were named by the LAPD.
The USC Department of Public Safety (DPS) said that the shooting did not involve anyone from USC.
The Los Angeles Fire Department transported all three victims to local hospitals for treatment. The two teenage victims are in stable condition, while the 50-year-old woman is in critical condition.
According to David Cuellar, a public information officer for the LAPD, limited information was provided to the officers. Authorities believe that there were two suspects involved in the shooting who were described as two teenagers between 15 and 18 years old. It looked like they had approached the victims on foot, shot all three and then fled the location on foot.
The investigation is ongoing and is believed to be gang-related, according to the LAPD.
While the incident occurred at 4:08 p.m., a notification to Trojans from DPS was not shared until almost an hour and a half later, at 5:27 p.m.
In regards to the delayed notification, DPS Assistant Chief David Carlisle said that “Yesterday’s incident was not reported directly to DPS. When DPS became aware of the incident and discovered there was an ongoing investigation and there were lane closures on Vermont Avenue that might impact USC commuters, the decision was made to issue an alert.”
Carlisle also explained that in each situation that DPS sends notifications to students, timing varies depending on the urgency and danger of the situation.
“Each situation is different and good judgment is required,” Carlisle said. “When in doubt about whether to issue an alert, we are on the side of caution and act on whatever we feel is in the best interests of campus safety.”