Three people were killed and four others wounded in two separate shootings during Fourth of July block parties in Compton, California, officials said. The incidents took place within about 40 minutes and roughly two miles apart, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which indicated there was no evidence linking the two events.

The first shooting occurred at approximately 11:20 p.m. Saturday on the 700 block of West Laurel Street, where five people were struck by gunfire. Two victims—a man and a young woman—were declared dead at the scene. Three others, including a woman, a child, and a man, were transported to local hospitals. The woman and child sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while the man remains in critical condition.

The Los Angeles County medical examiner identified the female victim as 19-year-old Meah Bordenave-Jenkins, a University of Nevada, Las Vegas sophomore studying nursing who had been visiting family at the time of the shooting. Her mother described her as compassionate and full of life, with plans to attend church and visit an amusement park with relatives. The male victim has been identified by Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson) as Eric Washington, a community activist and former aide who had served Gipson’s district and as a field deputy for former Los Angeles City Councilmember Joe Buscaino.

In a statement, Gipson characterized Washington as a dedicated community organizer and communicator who was reportedly attempting to de-escalate a conflict during the block party when he was fatally wounded. “Eric was trying to save a community by preventing a situation that would have taken lives,” Gipson said. Washington was also known for his work with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles and was active in efforts to support public housing residents and youth programs. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed condolences and praised Washington’s commitment to creating safe communities and opportunities for young people.

The second shooting occurred around 40 minutes later on the 2100 block of North Grandee Avenue, where two Black men were shot. One man, identified by the medical examiner as 38-year-old Thaddeus Clark of Rialto, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other victim was hospitalized.

These shootings contributed to a violent weekend in Los Angeles County, which also included a separate incident in East Los Angeles on Sunday night that left four people injured. Najee Ali, director of Project Islamic Hope, called the Compton shootings preventable and questioned whether more could have been done by local authorities and law enforcement to protect residents. Ali has organized a peace gathering to address gun violence, scheduled for Monday evening outside the Compton Courthouse.