3 people dead after 5 shot in Los Angeles suburb

DOWNEY, Calif. – Five people were shot and three of them died Wednesday in connected attacks at a business and residence in a Los Angeles suburb, police said.

The shootings occurred at a business called United States Fire Protection Services and at a nearby home, where family members of the owner live, said Downey police Lt. Dean Milligan.

A woman was found dead at the home, and a man and a woman were killed at the business, he said. Two other shooting victims were in critical but stable condition at hospitals.

Milligan said police were looking for a gunman who apparently escaped in a black Camaro that belonged to a victim or a victim's family member.

"Our victims have not been able to give us information as to the identity of the suspect," he said, adding that a motive remained unknown.

Police received two 911 calls -- one from the home and one from the business -- about the attacks. The call from the home was made by a victim, Milligan said.

United States Fire Protection Services is in an industrial area of Downey across from a bottling plant. The family owned business sells professional firefighting gear and equipment such as hoses, valves and extinguishers, according to its website.

Blanca Parker, who works next door, said the owners were very friendly.

"They were hard working," Parker said. "They worked seven days a week, 24-7."

Parker added the owners made security a top priority, even though the area was considered safe.

"Every time we have gone in there it is locked. Sometimes you don't even know they are there," she said. "You always have to knock beforehand."

Downey is about 20 miles southeast of Los Angeles.