Police in Long Beach shot and critically wounded a 19-year-old man Thursday afternoon at an apartment where a group of people were reportedly spraying graffiti, authorities said.

Officers were called to the 1100 block of Hoffman Avenue after being alerted to several people trespassing and tagging an empty apartment, said Long Beach Police Sgt. Megan Zabel.

An officer saw a man inside the apartment and opened fire, Zabel said. The man was hit by an unknown number of bullets and hospitalized in critical condition.

His name was not released. It was unclear what immediately preceded the shooting.


Long Beach police are investigating the incident, Zabel said. The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office is conducting a separate, independent investigation, which is customary in all officer-involved shootings.

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