Pregnant Woman Critically Shot in Canoga Park Alley, Suspect Sought

A pregnant woman is in critical condition after a gunman opened fire on a parked car in a Canoga Park alley Sunday morning. A second 22-year-old woman was also wounded in the attack.

Gunman Opens Fire on Parked Car in Canoga Park, Pregnant Victim Critical

A pregnant woman was hospitalized in critical condition Sunday after a gunman approached a parked car and fired on its occupants in a Canoga Park alley, the NY Post Metro reports. A second woman, also 22 years old, was wounded in the attack but is expected to survive.

The shooting occurred around 7 a.m. near an apartment complex on the 8300 block of Northgate Avenue, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed. Five people were inside the vehicle at the time. A man described by police as a 26-year-old Hispanic male walked up to the car, drew a handgun and fired before fleeing the scene, according to NBC.

After the gunfire, the unattended vehicle rolled down the alley and struck a refrigerator.

LAPD Detective Rachel Evans said investigators are working to determine a motive. "It's too early to say, but we have some good leads and we're working on that," Evans told the outlet. Detectives have not ruled out whether the victims were specifically targeted or happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Officers initially detained a possible suspect but released that individual after determining there was no involvement in the shooting. Investigators are also examining whether gang activity played a role, though authorities have not confirmed a gang connection.

Nearby resident Olga Valdez told NBC the shots woke her early Sunday morning. She initially mistook the sounds for fireworks before counting approximately five blasts. Valdez noted that another deadly shooting had occurred in the vicinity just days before, heightening anxiety among neighbors. She said more police patrols could help restore a sense of safety in the area.

Police have not released the identities of either victim and have not confirmed whether they had any prior relationship with the gunman. The pregnant victim remained in critical condition as detectives continued to piece together the circumstances of the attack.

Source: NY Post Metro