Three Wounded in Glendale Shooting

GLENDALE —  Two suspected gang members and a 49-year-old bystander were wounded in a drive-by shooting at the corner of Lolita and Glendale avenues, police said Monday.

Glendale Police Sgt. Rick Young said a black sports utility vehicle with several men inside stopped in front of a group of five gang members at 10:05 p.m. Sunday.

“Words were exchanged . . . vulgarities and angry talk, back and forth at each other,” Young said. “The passenger in the front pulled out a handgun and fired three to four shots from the vehicle. Then the vehicle sped northbound on Glendale and the gang members ran off.”

Shortly thereafter one of the victims showed up at Glendale Memorial Hospital. A bullet had torn through his arm and into his abdomen, Young said. He was treated and released.

Two other victims--another suspected gang member and the bystander--were found near the scene of the shooting and taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. The suspected gang member had been shot in the chest and the bystander’s neck was grazed by a bullet. Police said their wounds were not life-threatening.

“It is our belief that those in the truck were also gang members,” said Young. “The truck was full.”

The shooting could have been in retaliation to shootings in Highland Park and Echo Park on Saturday night, Young said.

No arrests have been made. “The victims are not being cooperative--that’s very normal. They’re kind of like: ‘We’ll take care of it ourselves.’ ”

Glendale Crime Stoppers has offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to convictions in the shooting.