Man shot in South L.A. drives to USC gate; area shut down

Reporting from Los Angeles —  A man who was wounded in a car-to-car shooting in South Los Angeles on Wednesday morning drove to an entrance to USC. Campus access at the gate was shut as the investigation continued.

Initial information indicated that the shooting occurred near 57th and Hoover streets, roughly three miles from the campus, said Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Richard French. The car ended up at 36th Place and Vermont Avenue, near the university’s Gate 6 entrance.

An alert from USC said the man drove to the campus but was not affiliated with the school. Det. Mike Lorenz told reporters at the scene that the wounded individual was male but declined to give further information, citing the ongoing investigation.

Paramedics transported the man to an area hospital in stable condition, French said. Lorenz said the man had been “hit several times.”

The gate was closed to vehicles and pedestrians until further notice, the university said.

Investigators remained on scene shortly before noon, surrounding the two-door car with police tape. The passenger door had been flung open, with bullet holes visible on the side.

“We’re trying to piece everything together right now,” Lorenz said.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing, but French said it initially was thought to be gang-related.

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kate.mather@latimes.com