Watts vigil – A shooting near a candlelight vigil in Watts early Sunday killed one woman and wounded another, as Los Angeles police searched for the suspect or suspects. The attack happened on a residential block near 104th Street and Wilmington Avenue.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, a quiet street corner near a candlelight vigil in Watts turned violent.
Officers responding to a shooting call around 2 a.m. found a 30-year-old woman suffering from a single gunshot wound, LAPD spokesman Ofc. Charles Miller said. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she later died. Police have not released her name.
Around the same time, another woman, 31, arrived at an area hospital with a gunshot wound. Police suspect she was injured in the same shooting, Miller said. Investigators continued their search for the suspect or suspects who fired the fatal shots.
The shooting occurred on a residential block near the intersection of 104th Street and Wilmington Avenue. A nearby news report said people had gathered for a vigil when gunfire broke out, adding to the sense of shock after a planned moment of remembrance.
Miller said he had no information on whether the two incidents—deaths and injuries tied to the same timeframe—were linked. Police have also not released a motive or identifying information about any suspects.
The violence landed as Los Angeles reported an across-the-board decline in crime compared with the first half of last year. As of May 23. the last day for which reliable data were available. violent crimes were down nearly 4% compared with the same day last year. while burglaries and motor vehicle thefts had fallen by nearly a third.
Homicides have decreased by roughly 11% from this time in 2025, which ended with a 60-year low in the number of people killed. The city has also reported 148 fewer people shot.
Yet the number of killings in one area underscored how uneven the momentum can feel on the ground. Before Sunday’s shooting, the Southeast patrol area—which covers Watts and surrounding communities—had recorded eight killings, compared with 17 last year.
For residents near 104th Street and Wilmington Avenue, the question now is immediate and personal: what happened in those early minutes, and who will be held responsible for shots fired close to a vigil.
Watts shooting LAPD vigil Wilmington Avenue 104th Street candlelight vigil homicide investigation Los Angeles crime