Two men are in stable condition and another is in intensive care after a shooting at a Huntington Park nightclub Tuesday, authorities said.
Huntington Park police confirmed that a suspect is at large even as they arrested another man near the crime scene on unrelated charges.
Police said they received a call about a disturbance at 1:36 a.m. at El Kalua Night Club on Pacific Boulevard, the city’s main thoroughfare.
According to Huntington Park Commander Kenneth Rulon, they found three men with gunshot wounds. The three, whose identities have not been publicly released, were taken to a local hospital, where two of them were initially listed in critical condition. One victim has since been listed in stable condition, according to Rulon.
Rulon said the shooting did not appear to be gang-related, but authorities were searching for a man who may have been involved. They did not release the name or full description of the person they are looking for.
Although there were witnesses, no weapons were found, Rulon said.
As police were marking the perimeter of the crime scene shortly before 2 a.m., they saw a man running away, Rulon said.
The man, identified by police as Alexander Esparza, 32, fled two blocks, partly on a bicycle and then on foot, before climbing onto the roof of the second floor of a building, Rulon said. He was eventually stopped and arrested around 4:15 a.m., Rulon said.
“It’s one of those funny stories where you’re looking for a suspect and you come across a criminal on the run,” Rulon said. “It was unexpected.”
Esparza is not a suspect in the shooting, Rulon said. But he has outstanding warrants for a previous burglary and a carjacking, according to Rulon and court records. He also has been arrested for evading arrest, Rulon said.
“When he saw the police, he must have thought we were after him,” Rulon said.
Esparza remains in a city jail while his bail has been set at $130,000.
California Daily Newspapers
