(June 6, 2015, 6:20 p.m.) -- In what would become the first of three shootings -- two fatal -- overnight Friday (June 5) into Saturday predawn (June 6), a 20 year old Long Beach man was fatally shot in the 1200 block of E. 17th St. (where Alamitos Ave. ends at Orange Ave.) LBPD says in a release below that its preliminary investigation indicates there was an exchange of gunfire after the victim became involved in a dispute with an unknown number of male subjects. The dispute escalated into an exchange of gunfire between the victim and suspect(s) who remain outstanding.

LBPD is investigating the shooting as possibly gang-related.



Red Xs=2014 and 2015 murders to date; Blue Xs=2014 and 2015 shootings, person wounded; Brown Xs=shots fired at victim(s), not hit; Purple Xs=2014 shots at occupied residence/vehicle; Green Xs=shots at unoccupied vehicle/residence; Grey Xs=shots fired (no hit, no target identified); Orange X's=non-fatal stabbings. Map is unofficial. A separate map (not shown here) indicates add'l shootings in Central/WLB.

[LBPD release text] On Friday, June 5, 2015, at approximately 10:00 p.m., Long Beach Police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of E. 17th Street, which resulted in the death of a male adult. When officers arrived, they discovered the victim, identified as 20-year-old Anthony Holston of Long Beach, had been struck in the upper body by gunfire. Long Beach Fire Department paramedics transported Victim Holston to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. The preliminary investigation revealed the victim had become involved in a dispute with an unknown number of male subjects. The dispute escalated and there was an exchange of gunfire between the victim and suspect(s), who remain outstanding. The incident is being investigated as possibly gang-related. Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Long Beach Police Homicide Detectives Hugo Cortes and Oscar Valenzuela at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), texting TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.