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Car-To-Car Shooting On Eastbound 60 Freeway At 7th Street Takes Life Of 35-Year-Old Luis Mendoza, Injures Two Teenage Sons

HACIENDA HEIGHTS (CBSLA) - Officials at the California Highway Patrol confirmed a car-to-car shooting on the the eastbound 60 Freeway at 7th Street that caused a collision has also claimed the life of 35-year-old Luis Mendoza of La Puente and critically injured his two teenage sons.

At this time, it is unknown if the victims were injured after being hit by bullets or by the accident after the father was struck. The 13-year-old son is said to be in serious condition, while his 16-year-old brother is reportedly injured, though not as seriously. All three victims were taken to County USC Medical Center where the father died from his wounds.

"A witness that was actually behind both vehicles said that the passenger that was in the gray compact stuck his hand out the front passenger window with the handgun, began to fire at the white Avalanche," CHP Officer Marco Iniguez said. "So, after the passenger shot the Avalanche, it just continued eastbound at a high rate of speed."

60 Freeway #1
CHP Investigators scour the 60 Freeway for evidence in a Saturday, July 3, 2021 shooting that led to the death of a 35-year-old man and injuring his two sons.

The incident was reported at approximately 12:35 p.m. The suspect, driving a gray sedan shot at a white Chevy Avalanche the victims were in, killing Mendoza. The shooting caused the victims to crash into another car and a wall. A woman in another car was involved in the vehicle accident, but did not suffer any injuries.

So far, there is not a motive for the shooting, nor is there yet a description of the suspect or suspects.

All lanes on the eastbound 60 Freeway at 7th Street, along with the northbound and southbound 605 transitions to the eastbound 60 Freeway were closed until about 8:45 p.m. However, CHP has tweeted that the Sig-Alert has been lifted.

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