LOS ANGELES, CA – Two masked suspects allegedly opened fire at a smoke shop in Bellflower early Sunday before throwing a Molotov cocktail inside the business, causing a fire and prompting a search for the people responsible.
The incident happened at The Spot Smok Shop, 9135 Somerset Blvd., shortly before 4:30 a.m., when deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to a report of shots fired.
According to information attributed to the Sheriff’s Department, two people wearing masks entered the business and opened fire toward an employee. The suspects then allegedly threw an incendiary device into the shop before leaving the area.
The available accounts contain conflicting information about whether the employee was physically injured. One report described the employee as wounded, while another account citing the Sheriff’s Department said the employee was protected by bullet-resistant glass and was not struck by the gunfire. The employee’s condition was not immediately available.
Fire breaks out inside Bellflower business
After the shooting, the suspects allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail into the smoke shop.
The incendiary device ignited a fire inside the commercial property, bringing firefighters to the scene. The Los Angeles County Fire Department lists Bellflower among the communities served by its Division 4, which covers several southeastern Los Angeles County cities.
The full extent of the damage to the business was not immediately available.
A Molotov cocktail is considered an incendiary device, and the Sheriff’s Department’s own patrol reference materials specifically classify Molotov cocktails under its explosives-related response procedures.
Suspects remain at large
The two suspects fled after the shooting and fire. Their identities had not been released, and a detailed description of their vehicle or direction of travel was not immediately available.
The incident remains under investigation by authorities.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department operates the Lakewood Station, which provides law-enforcement services in the surrounding area. Investigators are expected to review available surveillance footage and other evidence from the business and surrounding area as they work to determine exactly what led to the attack.
At this stage, authorities have not publicly established a motive for the shooting or explained why the business was targeted.
The investigation also remains focused on determining the sequence of events inside the shop, including the gunfire, the use of the incendiary device and the circumstances surrounding the employee who was inside the business.
Anyone with information that could help investigators identify the suspects is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department through its official channels. Further information about injuries, property damage, arrests or possible charges may be released as the investigation develops.
