‘Who ... shot my brother?’ Gunman who opened fire into crowd at Woodland Hills party on the loose
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A 16-year-old boy was killed and six others wounded early Sunday at a “flyer party” at a Woodland Hills mansion that drew more than 200 people, Los Angeles police said.
Officers responded at 1:30 a.m. to multiple reports of a shooting at a large gathering at a mansion in the 5900 block of Winnetka Avenue, police said.
Between 200 and 300 partygoers had gathered at the home for a flyer party, so named for advertisements posted on the street, according to Lt. Guy Golan of the Los Angeles Police Department’s homicide unit. The party was billed as a VIP event.
“Some sort of altercation occurred which resulted in multiple shots being fired,” Golan told KTLA-TV.
After an argument arose with a security guard, a male partygoer was being escorted from the property when he opened fire on the crowd, fatally wounding a 16-year-old, authorities told KTLA. The 16-year-old died at the scene. Six other people, ranging in age between 19 and 34, were also wounded.
The slain teen’s identity has not been released.
The home where the party was held, between Hatteras and Oxnard streets, is at the end of a long driveway up a hill off Winnetka Avenue. The 8,000-square foot “mega mansion” is listed on Booking.com for $2,100 a night. Golan said that the house was known to host parties but was not considered to be a problem location.
“Nothing like this,” Golan said.
People were screaming and crying as they scrambled down the steep driveway after the shooting, video posted by Instagram user @drider42 showed. As police arrived on the scene, partygoers pointed up the driveway saying somebody was shot.
Partygoers gathered around a person on the ground as paramedics and police officers rendered medical aid.
“They shot my brother,” a person said, their voice cracking with emotion. “Who the f— shot my brother?”
The person who recorded the video and who only identified himself as Daniel to The Times said he waited in line for two hours to get into the event, which he said was billed as a college party by the organizers. He overheard security guards say they were worried about something that was happening inside and that’s when he heard the gunshots.
“Hundreds of kids start running, jumping fences and dropping on the ground to save themselves, then I started recording,” Daniel said. “Security was very bad.”
Daniel estimates there were hundreds of people at the event and many of them were underage.
In a statement, the group that organized the event — Rage Parties — said they are cooperating with the police investigation.
“We are absolutely devastated by the events that took place last night. Our hearts and prayers go out to everyone affected and their families. No words can truly express the pain and shock we are all feeling,” the organizers said in a statement posted to Instagram.
One of the group’s organizers and a member of the security team were “harmed and hospitalized,” according to the statement, but they are recovering.
“Our team is committed to supporting everybody involved any way we can,” the statement said.
No arrests have been made. Police are speaking with witnesses and reviewing surveillance videos. Anyone with information is urged to contact the LAPD Operations Valley Bureau Homicide at (818) 374-9550.
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