LONG BEACH, Calif. — There’s been a significant spike in violent crime that has Long Beach police concerned.
At least four people were shot and killed in the first week of August, with no arrests made, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
Nathaniel Holguin and Jamie Araki take partners in crime to a whole new level.
Both are freelance photojournalists who typically aren’t even awake with the sun because they spend all night listening to police scanners in decked out former cop cars. They then head to the scenes of deadly car accidents, fires and shootings.
It’s what brought them to a Long Beach jetty on East Shoreline Avenue on Thursday.
"Not the place you would expect to be the scene of a murder but heard the call and just had to roll,” Holguin said.
On video Holguin captured when he got there, Long Beach police are seen responding to what they say was a 43-year-old man who had been shot. Officers say they tried to preform CPR, but he died right there on the jetty.
Friends say the man’s name was Carlos.
Bruce Gillis would fish there with him and several others almost every day. In fact, the rod Gillis was using is one Carlos recently gave him. He says Carlos was at his house for a BBQ the night before he was killed, so Gillis was shocked to hear the news.
"He's a real funny guy. He likes laughing a lot and joking a lot, but he helps everybody too. He helped anybody that needed anything," Gillis said.
It’s why Gillis has no idea who would do this to him. He says Carlos had fallen on hard times and was homeless, but as fas as he knew he had no enemies.
Yet Carlos is one of at least four people who have been shot and killed in Long Beach in just a few days.
On Friday night, police say another resident, 38-year-old Ines Rosales, was shot and killed on East Anaheim Street. It’s less than two miles from where Holguin captured another double murder late Wednesday, and into the early hours of Thursday, at the Pine intersection.
"There were a bunch of casings across the street over there," Holguin pointed. "Pine is definitely a notorious street for violence, I’ve definitely heard it numerous times, whether it's fights or stolen cars or shootings.”
In a statement, the Long Beach Police Department said the following:
"The Police Department shares the community’s concerns regarding the gun violence that is occurring in our city and remains committed to reducing and preventing violent crime. Detectives are actively investigating the two fatal shooting incidents that occurred on August 5th and we are asking anyone with additional information regarding these crimes to contact our Homicide Detail at (562) 570-7244.
Using data-driven analysis, the department is deploying additional patrol officers and the Coordinated Response Team to areas being impacted by violent crime. Additionally, we are continuing our focus on seizing firearms from prohibited possessors to take guns off our streets.
We are also implementing a variety of proactive outreach strategies, including the Neighborhood Walks Program, to build trust and strengthen relationships with our residents and businesses. These partnerships allow us to work more effectively with our community to reduce violence across our city.
Suspicious or criminal activity can be reported by calling Police Dispatch at 562-435-6711, by calling our tips line at 800-222-TIPS, through the 'P3' app, through the LBPD app, and online at lacrimestoppers.org. You can remain anonymous. For emergencies, always call 9-1-1."
Even for a photographer who has made a living chasing it for seven years, this is the most violence Holguin says he’s ever seen in Long Beach.
"I don’t know why. It’s almost like every week, there’s another shooting and it’s almost always fatal. The uptick in violence is absolutely unbelievable," he said.
In another incident, Long Beach police shot and critically wounded an armed-robbery suspect after he crashed a vehicle, authorities said Monday.
The shooting occurred about 10:45 p.m. Sunday in the 1700 block of Harbor Avenue, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
If you have any information about any of the recent incidents, Long Beach police are urging you to call the homicide detectives at (562) 570-7244.
City News Service contributed to this report.