KTLA

18-Year-Old Arrested in June 3 Del Amo Mall Shooting That Wounded 1

Jose Salazar is seen in an undated photo provided by the Torrance Police Department on June 29, 2019.

A traffic stop in Redondo Beach early Saturday led to the arrest of an 18-year-old man weeks after he allegedly opened fire at a Torrance mall and wounded one person, officials said.

Jose Salazar, 18, is seen in an undated photo provided by the Torrance Police Department on June 29, 2019.

Officers in Redondo Beach detained Jose Salazar of Bellflower on suspicion of narcotics sales after pulling him over at around 1:17 a.m., according to Torrance police.

Salazar gave authorities a false name, but during the booking process, he was positively identified as the gunman in a shooting  that triggered the evacuation of frightened shoppers and employees at the Del Amo mall the afternoon of June 3, authorities said.

He was booked on suspicion of attempted murder, according to Torrance police.

The early June incident unfolded at around 3 p.m., when, according to an employee who did not want to be identified, a man shot another man who had been arguing with a woman in front of the Skechers store.

Cellphone video shows bystanders trying to help the bleeding victim on the ground.

Torrance police said they immediately responded to the scene after receiving a call about shots fired inside the massive shopping center. A lockdown was declared and remained in effect through the mall’s closing time at 9 p.m.

The assailant managed to flee the premises, and the victim was taken to the hospital, according to officials. The victim was later discharged.

Investigators recovered the firearm involved the day after the shooting, police said.

“This act of violence was determined to be an isolated incident, and there is no evidence indicating there are additional shooters,” Torrance police said in a statement. “This incident remains under investigation.”

Authorities provided no further details about a motive or how they linked Salazar to the shooting.

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